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THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


By ELMER R. GREGOR 


Western Indian Series 
WHITE OTTER 
THE WAR TRAIL 
THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


Eastern Indian Series 
SPOTTED DEER 
RUNNING FOX 
THE WHITE WOLF 


T-228 D 







HE SHOT HIS ARROW 


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THREE 

SIOUX SCOUTS 


BY 

ELMER RUSSELL GREGOR 

AUTHOR OP “the WAR TRAU*,” 

“spotted deer,” “the white wolf,” 

“ruhniho pox,” “white otter,” etc. 



D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 
NEW YORK : : 1922 : : LONDON 


COPYRIGHT, 192^ BY 

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 


PBIKTED rW THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 


SEP 19 1922 

©CI.A(>88274 . 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Watching for Buffaloes .... 1 

II. Mysterious Signals 11 

III. Old Enemies 23 

IV. Trailing a War Party 39 

V. Off to Warn the Cheyennes ... 53 

VI. A Perilous Mission 64 

VII. Red Dog’s Stratagem 74 

VIII. The Attack on the Camp ... 88 

IX. Pawnees 100 

X. A Desperate Chase 113 

XI. A Night of Surprises 124 

XII. Friends 137 

XIII. The Abandoned Camp 147 

XIV. In Pursuit of the Kiowas .... 162 

XV. Daring Scouts 176 

XVI. A Thrilling Rescue 187 

XVII. Disaster 205 

XVIII. Reinforcements 218 

XIX. The Pawnees at Bay . . . . . 230 

XX. A Hard Won Victory 242 


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THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


CHAPTER I 

WATCHING rOK BUFFALOES 

W HITE OTTER, the famous young war 
chief of the Ogalala Sioux, and his friends 
Sun Bird and Little Raven, of the Minneconjoux 
tribe, were searching the plains for buffaloes. It 
was early spring, the time of The-new-grass-moon, 
and the Sioux were expecting the great buffalo 
herds on their migration northward from the 
winter feeding grounds. 

‘‘Pretty soon Ta-tan-ka will come — ^then we will 
have some good days and plenty of meat,^’ White 
Otter told his friends. “Yellow Horse is singing 
the Medicine Songs to bring the buffaloes. They 
will come.’’ 

‘ ‘ My father does that, ’ ’ said Sun Bird. “I have 
seen him do it many times.” 

“Your father is a great Medicine Person, like 
Yellow Horse, ’ ’ declared White Otter. 

Although the villages of the Ogalalas and the 
Minneconjoux were many days’ travel apart, the 
1 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

young warriors visited one another with consider- 
able frequency. The year previous White Otter 
had accompanied the Minneconjoux on a great war 
expedition against the Blackfeet. Now Sun Bird 
and his brother, Little Raven, had come to the 
Ogalala village to participate in the spring buffalo 
hunt. 

The three young scouts made an impressive 
appearance as they cantered across the plain on 
their speedy little hunting ponies. White Otter 
was tall and lithe. Sun Bird was considerably 
shorter, and heavier in physique. Little Raven 
was younger and less matured in face and stature. 
All showed the characteristics of the Dacotah 
warrior. They were fearless, cautious and crafty. 
Each had proved his courage and skill in a number 
of thrilHng exploits, and despite their youthful- 
ness all three were famous warriors. They wore 
the simple dress of the hunter, which consisted 
of moccasins, and buckskin leggins reaching to 
the thighs. They were naked above the waist. 
Their hair was worn in two braids wrapped with 
fur. White Otter and Sun Bird, as chiefs of their 
respective tribes, were entitled to wear the coveted 
war bonnet of eagle plumes. Both had left it 
off to be as inconspicuous as possible in their 
2 


WATCHING FOR BUFFALOES 

search for game. White Otter, however, wore a 
single eagle feather in his scalp lock. They were 
armed with bows and arrows and flint hunting 
knives. White Otter and Sun Bird carried fire 
sticks. Each was provided with a robe of elkskin 
which was folded beneath him, across the back 
of his pony. 

For two days they had searched the plains to 
the southward of the Ogalala camp. They had 
seen nothing, however, to indicate the approach 
of the great butfalo herds. Still they felt certain 
that it would be only a day or so until the buffaloes 
appeared. 

‘‘When we see them we will ride fast and tell 
my people,’’ said White Otter. 

“Yes, yes, we will be the first to tell about it,” 
Little Raven declared, enthusiastically. 

They were a considerable distance from the 
Ogalala village, and as the third day drew toward 
its close they began to wonder if it might not be 
foolhardy to venture farther to the southward. 
They knew that there was a possibility of encoun- 
tering both the Kiowas and the Pawnees in that 
direction, and the Utes from the west and even 
their hated foes, the Crows, sometimes moved 
down into that disputed territory. The Sioux 
3 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

realized, therefore, that they were exposing them- 
selves to considerable danger. 

‘‘We have come a long ways — ^we must watch 
out,’’ White Otter cautioned. 

“It is true,” agreed Sun Bird. “The Pawnees 
travel in this country. Perhaps they are looking 
around for buffaloes. We must be cautious. ’ ’ 

They had stopped at a little grove of cotton- 
woods, which offered feed and water for the 
ponies. As the day had almost ended, they were 
tempted to spend the night at that spot. White 
Otter, however, decided against it. 

“It would be foolish,” he declared. “Our 
enemies know about this place. Perhaps they 
will come here when it gets dark. We must 
ride away.” 

“It is the best thing to do,” said Sun Bird. 

They loitered until the ponies had finished 
feeding, and then they prepared to ride away. 
At that moment a small band of antelopes 
suddenly appeared on the crest of a low ridge 
to the westward. They had stopped, and seemed 
to be watching something on the other side of 
the ridge. It was evident that they had been 
alarmed. The Sioux became suspicious. They 
watched closely. 


4 


WATCHING FOR BUFFALOES 


“Something has frightened Ta-to-ka-dan,” said 
Sun Bird. 

“See, they are running down the ridge,’’ Little 
Raven whispered, excitedly. 

The antelopes were bounding down the slope. 
When they reached the bottom they turned toward 
the little grove in which the Sioux had taken 
shelter. The latter watched them with consider- 
able uneasiness. 

“It is bad,” declared White Otter. “Perhaps 
some one is peeping over that hill. If those 
antelopes come close they will find out about us. 
Then they will run away. If hunters are watching 
on that ridge they will know that something is 
over here in this place. Perhaps they will come 
here to find out about it.” 

“It is bad,” said Sun Bird. 

The antelopes were still running toward the 
grove. Several old bucks, however, had stopped 
to look back at the ridge. The rest of the band 
continued across the plain. They were running 
against the wind. As they came within arrow 
range of the grove they suddenly stopped, and 
appeared suspicious. They had caught the danger 
scent. 

“ Ta-to-ka-dan is sharp,” laughed Sun Bird. 

5 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


‘‘The wind has told about us,” said Little 
Raven. 

White Otter kept silent. He watched the ante- 
lopes with grave misgivings. Their behavior 
alarmed him. He felt quite sure that they would 
arouse the distrust of any foes who might be 
loitering within sight, and tempt them to investi- 
gate the grove. The idea suggested disturbing 
possibilities. 

‘ ‘ See, Ta-to-ka-dan is standing out there like a 
frightened old woman,” he said, irritably. “If 
our enemies are about they will come over here 
to see what has frightend Ta-to-ka-dan.” 

“Come, we will ride away,” proposed Little 
Raven. 

“Wait, wait,” Sun Bird cried, excitedly. “1 
saw something peep over the top of that hill. ’ ^ 

“I see it,” said Little Raven. “It looks like 
Ma-ya-sh, the wolf.” 

They saw what appeared to be the head of a 
prairie wolf rising cautiously above the top of 
the ridge. The buck antelopes had discovered it, 
and were flashing the danger signal and stamping 
nervously. 

“It is bad,” White Otter said, uneasily. “Per- 
6 


WATCHING FOR BUFFALOES 

haps it is Ma-ya-sh, the wolf — perhaps it is a 
hunter. We must watch sharp.” 

As they continued to watch the ridge, the little 
band of antelopes suddenly turned and bounded 
away toward the north. It was evident that they 
had determined to avoid the grove. In a few 
moments the bucks that had been watching the 
ridge cantered after them. 

“It is good,” said White Otter. “Now we will 
find out who is over there on that hill. If it is 
Ma-ya-sh and his people they will go away. If 
it is our enemies they will keep watching this 
place. ^ ’ 

‘ ‘ Something is watching, ’ ^ Sun Bird told him. 

The head of the mysterious prowler still showed 
above the ridge. It was boldly outlined against 
the fading sunset sky. It appeared to be the 
head of Ma-ya-sh, the prairie wolf. The Sioux 
distinctly saw the long, lean snout, and the pointed 
ears of Ma-ya-sh. Still they were suspicious. 
They knew that scouts often covered themselves 
with the skin of Ma-ya-sh to creep up on game, 
and also to spy upon their foes without arousing 
distrust. 

“I do not believe it is Ma-ya-sh,” White Otter 
declared, finally. “It keeps too still. Ma-ya-sh 
7 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

would move around. I believe it is a bunter.^’ 

‘‘We will watch,’’ said Sun Bird. 

“Look, look, there is another!” cried Little 
Raven. 

A second head had suddenly appeared. It, too, 
seemed to be the head of a prairie wolf. The 
Sioux, however, were doubtful. If the distant 
objects really were wolves, their actions were 
most unusual. They were careful to keep them- 
selves well concealed behind the ridge, and as the 
antelopes were a considerable distance to the 
northward, it was evident that the mysterious 
creatures were watching the grove. The Sioux 
were concealed in the timber, and there was no 
possibihty of being seen. They determined to 
watch, therefore, until the strange objects on the 
ridge either showed themselves or disappeared. 
In a few moments one withdrew from sight. 

“That is bad,” said White Otter. “Now I 
believe they are scouts. Perhaps one has gone 
away to call the hunters. We must watch out.” 

Daylight was fading. Twilight was settling 
upon the plain. The Sioux found it difficult to 
distinguish the remaining object on the ridge. 
They felt considerably relieved to know that 
night was close at hand. 


WATCHING FOR BUFFALOES 

‘^Pretty soon it will be dark,’’ said White Otter. 
‘ ^ Then we will ride away. ’ ’ 

They waited impatiently for nightfall. Their 
one fear was that a company of foes might ride 
toward the grove before darkness made it possible 
to withdraw without being seen. They had little 
fear of being caught, but they were anxious to 
avoid being discovered. Once seen, they realized 
that it might be perilous to loiter in the vicinity, 
and they were eager to remain until they found 
the buffalo herd. They watched closely until 
night finally came. Then they mounted their 
ponies and rode from the grove. 

“Well, WThite Otter, how do you feel about it?” 
Little Raven inquired, as they rode cautiously 
toward the east. 

“I believe we are in danger,” WTiite Otter told 
him. 

They continued across the plain until they came 
to a shallow ravine, which they had passed on 
their way to the grove. White Otter advised 
stopping there until daylight. 

“This is a good place,” he said. “We will 
wait here and listen.” 

They picketed the ponies in the bottom of the 
gully, and then they crawled to the plain to watch 

9 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


and listen. It was a long time before they heard 
anything to arouse their suspicions. Then they 
heard the dreary wail of a prairie wolf, in the 
direction of the grove. Although it sounded 
natural, the Sioux distrusted it. Twice it rose 
shrilly through the night, and then it ceased. 
They were almost certain that it had been a signal. 
They listened anxiously for an answer from the 
ridge. The silence, however, continued. 

believe it was a scout,’’ said White Otter. 
‘‘Perhaps he was calling his people.” 

“Perhaps we will hear the ponies,” suggested 
Little Raven. 

“We are too far off,” White Otter told him. 
“Those people will ride easy.” 

“Perhaps it was only Ma-ya-sh,” said Sun 
Bird. “Perhaps he went there to drink.” 

“Yes, it may be true, but I believe it was some 
one different,” replied White Otter. “We are 
in the country of our enemies. We must be 
sharp.” 


CHAPTER II 


MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 

F earful that a company of foes might have 
taken shelter in the little grove of cotton- 
woods, the Sioux determined to take every precau- 
tion against a sudden attack. While Little Raven 
remained in the ravine with the ponies, White 
Otter and Sun Bird seated themselves upon the 
plain to listen for sounds from the grove. All 
was still. They began to wonder if they had been 
needlessly alarmed. At that moment one of the 
ponies whinnied softly. White Otter and Sun 
Bird scrambled wildly into the gully. Little 
Raven had already seized the pony and turned 
its head out of the wind. The other ponies also 
seemed restless and nervous, and White Otter 
and Sun Bird attempted to quiet them. 

‘Ht is bad,’’ White Otter said, softly. “I 
believe some one is riding this way. ’ ’ 

The thought was startling. The Sioux stood 
beside their ponies, listening uneasily. One ques- 
tion flashed through the mind of each of them. 
11 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Were enemies approaching stealthily under cover 
of the darkness? They heard nothing to give 
them a clew. Many moments passed. The 
silence increased their suspense. They believed 
they were in peril. It seemed folly to loiter in the 
ravine. 

‘‘Come, we will go,^’ whispered White Otter. 

They mounted the ponies and rode from the 
ravine. Once on the plain, they stopped for a 
moment to listen. Then the pony again attempted 
to call, but Little Raven silenced it with his riding 
quirt. The warning was significant. The Sioux 
believed that strange horses were close at hand. 
They turned their ponies and rode silently away 
into the night. It was some time before they 
ventured to speak. 

“Well, my brothers, I believe Ma-ya-sh came 
to find us,^’ White Otter laughed, softly, when 
they were beyond earshot of the ravine. 

“Yes, White Otter, I believe your words were 
true; I believe scouts were peeping over that 
ridge,’’ Sun Bird told him. 

“Do you believe they saw us?” Little Raven 
asked, anxiously. 

“No,” replied White Otter. “Perhaps they 
found out about our ponies.” 

12 


MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 

Although they realized that it might be perilous 
to linger in the vicinity, the Sioux determined to 
remain within sight of the grove until they learned 
if their suspicions were real. When they reached 
a low ridge, a considerable distance to the east- 
ward, they decided to stop and wait for daylight. 

‘^See, pretty soon it will be light, said Sun 
Bird. ‘ ^ Then we will find out if there is any one 
over there in that place. 

When the night shadows finally lifted from the 
plain. White Otter and Sun Bird concealed them- 
selves below the crest of the ridge to watch, while 
Little Raven waited at the base of the slope with 
the ponies. The grove was in plain sight, and 
the Sioux watched expectantly. 

‘^If there are hunters over there, pretty soon 
they will ride out to look for buffaloes,’^ said 
Sun Bird. 

‘^Perhaps they are watching,’’ White Otter 
reminded him. 

A few moments later they saw two horsemen 
ride from the grove, and turn toward the ravine. 
They rode across the plain at an easy canter, and 
showed little caution. As they drew near the 
ravine, however, they became more careful. Once 
within arrow range, they stopped, and it was 
13 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

apparent that they were watching the top of the 
gully. Then they rode slowly forward. 

Those are the scouts that peeped over that 
hill/^ declared White Otter. ‘‘I believe they are 
trying to find out about us. ’ ’ 

The horsemen had disappeared into the ravine. 
The Sioux had been unable to identify them. 
They felt certain that the strangers would soon 
find the pony tracks. The idea alarmed them. 

‘‘Perhaps they will follow us,’’ suggested Sun 
Bird. 

“Watch,” said White Otter. 

The horsemen had suddenly appeared. They 
had crossed the ravine, and were riding slowly 
over the plain. The Sioux knew at once that they 
were looking for pony tracks. It was not long 
before they found them. They followed the trail 
a bowshot or more, and then they stopped. They 
were looking directly toward the ridge. The 
Sioux watched them in breathless suspense. They 
were straining their eyes to identify them, but 
the distance made it impossible. 

“I cannot tell who they are,” declared White 
Otter. ‘ ‘ Can you tell about it ? ” 

“No; they are too far away,” Sun Bird told 
him. “Perhaps they will come closer.” 

14 


MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 

believe they are talking about it/’ said White 
Otter. 

At that moment the horsemen turned their 
ponies, and galloped off toward the west. They 
crossed the ravine, and rode toward the grove. 
They passed it, however, and continued toward 
the ridge farther to the westward. It was not 
long before they disappeared. 

‘^It is bad,” declared White Otter. “Now we 
do not know who they are.” 

“Well, we know that our enemies are in this 
place,” Sun Bird told him. “Now it will be use- 
less to look for the buffaloes. If Ta-tan-ka comes, 
those scouts will tell their people about it. Yes, 
I believe they are looking for buffaloes.” 

“My brother, I feel different about it,” said 
White Otter. “Perhaps those scouts are with a 
war party. Perhaps they are Pawnees. Perhaps 
they are going to fight my people. I must find 
out about it. ’ ’ 

Sun Bird remained silent. It was not the part 
of a warrior to ask questions. He waited for 
White Otter to explain his plans. 

“Now I will tell you what I propose to do,” 
White Otter told him. “We must stay here and 
watch. Perhaps those scouts are trying to fool 
15 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

us. Perhaps they are trying to make us believe 
they have gone away. I believe they are peeping 
over that hill. ^ ^ 

‘^Well, they will not catch us/^ laughed Sun 
Bird. 

While White Otter continued to watch, Sun Bird 
crept down the slope to tell Little Raven about 
the two mysterious horsemen. The ridge to the 
westward was far away, and White Otter knew 
that it would be impossible to discover any one 
who might be hiding there. He had little doubt 
that at least one of the unknown riders had 
stopped to watch the plain. 

‘‘Did you see anything Sun Bird inquired 
anxiously, when he returned. 

“No, I did not see anything, but I believe some 
one is watching over there on that hill,’’ White 
Otter told him. 

“Then we must be cautious,” said Sun Bird. 

They watched until the day was half gone, and 
then, having seen nothing to indicate that foes 
were loitering in the vicinity, they began to feel 
somewhat reassured. They wondered if the two 
horsemen might not have been stray hunters who 
had been led to the grove by the antelopes. Hav- 
ing found the fresh pony tracks, they might have 
16 


MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 


feared to loiter in the locality. In spite of the 
possibility, however, the Sioux resolved to tahe 
no chances. 

‘^We will keep watching,’’ declared White 
Otter. 

Soon afterward their patience was rewarded 
when they saw what appeared to be a cloud of 
dust or smoke rising behind the distant ridge. 
They watched it with great interest. For some 
time it puzzled them. It was faint and indistinct, 
and they wondered if it was dust raised by the 
hoofs of butfaloes or ponies. Then they noted 
that it seemed to rise intermittently in putfs, and 
continued in one particular spot. 

^‘So-ta, smoke,” White Otter said, finally. 

‘‘Yes, yes, it is smoke,” agreed Sun Bird. 

“Those scouts are calling their people,” 
declared White Otter. “I believe it is a war 
party. ’ ’ 

“We will see,” said Sun Bird. 

In a short time the smoke faded from the sky. 
The Sioux felt sure that the signal had been seen 
by those for whom it was intended. They had 
little doubt that a company of horsemen were 
riding across the plain on the other side of the 
ridge. 


17 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘It is bad,’^ said Wbite Otter. “Those scoi.5ts 
found pony tracks at the place where the trees 
grow. They followed them to that gully. They 
found them coming this way. Then they were 
afraid, and went to call their people. I believe 
they will try to find out about us. ^ ’ 

“Well, my brother, they are a long ways 
Sun Bird reminded him. “We can keep away 
from them.’’ 

“We must stay here and watch,” declared 
White Otter. Perhaps it is a big war party of 
Pawnees. Perhaps they are going to fight my 
people. I believe something bad will come of it. ’ ’ 

“We will keep watching until we find out about 
it,” Sun Bird assured him. 

As time passed and they saw nothing more. 
White Otter became uneasy. A disquieting possi- 
bility had suddenly presented itself to his mind. 
It filled him with distrust, and awakened fears 
for the safety of his people. 

“I do not like this thing,” he told Sun Bird. 
“That ridge goes a long ways. We cannot see 
over it. Perhaps a war party is riding along 
behind that hill. Perhaps they are going to the 
lodges of my people. I would like to look over 
that hill, and find out about it.” 

18 


MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 

‘‘You must not try to do that,’’ Sun Bird cau- 
tioned him. “It would be foolish. I believe 
scouts are watching over there. If we show our- 
selves they will come after us. ’ ’ 

White Otter remained silent. He was worried 
and perplexed. He believed that what Sun Bird 
had said was true. Still he knew that if a war 
party of foes was moving against the Ogalala 
camp it was his duty to learn of it, and carry a 
warning to his people. For the moment, however, 
he saw no way of accomplishing it. The ridge 
from which he was watching was parallel with 
the ridge to the westward, and there was a wide 
expanse of open plain between them. To reach 
the other ridge it would be necessary to ride out 
in full sight of any foes who might be watching 
from concealment. White Otter realized that 
such a maneuver would be foolhardy. He decided 
that it would be impossible to do anything before 
nightfall. 

“Yes, my brother, I see that what you say is 
true, ’ ’ he said, finally. ‘ ‘ The lodges of my people 
are three sun’s travel away. It is a long ways. 
A war party travels slow so that the ponies will 
be fresh when the fight begins. There is only 
one thing to do. We must keep watching until 
19 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

it gets dark. Then we will ride over that hill, 
and try to find out about those people.^’ 

‘‘I believe it is the best thing to do/^ said Sun 
Bird. 

Late in the day, however, they saw something 
which convinced them that the two horsemen had 
been part of a clever stratagem to deceive any 
one who had been watching. An eagle suddenly 
appeared high over the plain, and flew toward the 
grove of cottonwoods. It was evident that the 
bird intended to alight in the timber. The Sioux 
watched closely. Once above the grove, the eagle 
set its wings and dropped toward the trees. Then, 
as it got nearer, it rose and circled far out over 
the plain. The Sioux were quick to understand 
the significance of the maneuver. 

^‘Hi, Hu-ya saw something down there among 
the trees, White Otter cried, excitedly. 

^‘Yes, I believe there is something over there 
in that place, said Sun Bird. 

‘‘I believe scouts are hiding there, declared 
WTiite Otter. ‘‘Hu-ya has told us about them. 
It is good.’^ 

They watched the grove with new interest. 
They knew that Hu-ya, the great war bird, was 
not likely to be frightened by Ma-ya-sh, the prairie 
20 


MYSTERIOUS SIGNALS 

wolf, nor Ta-to-ka-dan, the antelope, nor even by 
great Ma-to-ho-ta, the bear. They felt quite cer- 
tain, therefore, that Hu-ya had discovered other 
enemies in the grove. 

‘‘Perhaps a war party is hiding over there, 
said Sun Bird. “Perhaps they found out about 
the ponies. Perhaps they sent those scouts to 
fool us.’’ 

“I do not believe a war party is hiding in that 
place. White Otter told him. ‘ ‘ A war party would 
go away while it was dark.” 

“Yes, I believe that is true,” agreed Sun Bird. 

The Sioux were perplexed. Although the 
actions of Hu-ya, the war bird, led them to believe 
that the grove concealed some of their foes, they 
were unable to guess why the latter had loitered 
in the timber. While they were trying to solve 
the mystery they saw another smoke signal rising 
behind the ridge. It appeared in the place where 
they had discovered the other signal. The smoke 
column was light and indistinct, and soon broke 
into intermittent puffs. In a few moments it 
ceased. 

“Now I know that some one is hiding over there 
where the trees grow,” declared White Otter. 
“I believe they are scouts. I believe they found 
21 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

out about the ponies. It made them cautious. I 
believe those riders went to bring the war party. 
I believe they will come to that place when it gets 
dark. We must watch out.’’ 

believe they are Pawnees,” said Sun Bird. 
‘‘I do not know who they are, but I am going 
to find out about it,” White Otter told him. 


CHAPTER III 


OLD ENEMIES 

T hey watched until the grove finally faded 
out in the twilight. Then they listened for 
sounds which might warn them of the arrival of 
a war party. It was barely dark when they heard 
signals passing across the plain. The cry of 
Ma-ya-sh sounded faintly from the west. It 
scarcely died away before an answer rose from 
the vicinity of the grove. 

‘‘The war party is coming,’^ said Sun Bird. 

‘ ‘ Listen ! ^ ^ cautioned White Otter. 

They listened closely. Many moments passed. 
The stillness was unbroken. 

“What was itT’ inquired Sun Bird. 

“I heard something, far away,’^ Wliite Otter 
told him. “It sounded like a pony. I believe 
some one stopped the noise. ’ ^ 

As time passed and they heard nothing further, 
they felt sure that a company of foes had arrived 
at the grove. The thought made them uneasy. 
They feared that the two scouts would be sure 
to tell their companions about the pony tracks 
23 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

which crossed the ravine and led away toward the 
east. The Sioux recalled that the mysterious 
riders had spent some time looking toward the 
ridge. 

‘‘Perhaps they know we are here/’ said Sun 
Bird. 

“Yes, I believe that is why they went away,” 
replied White Otter, ‘ ‘ I believe they went to tell 
their people about it. Their friends waited 
behind those trees to see if any one came over 
to this place.” 

“Well, they did not see us,” said Sun Bird. 

“No, they could not see us, but perhaps they 
know some one is watching them,” White Otter 
told him. “Perhaps scouts will ride over here 
to find out about it. I believe scouts were close 
by when we were hiding over there in that gully. 
Now they will come to this hill. It would be 
foolish to stay here.” 

“Well, my brother, what do you propose to 
do?” inquired Sun Bird. 

“I propose to find out about those people,” 
replied White Otter. 

“How can you do that?” 

“Come, we will go to Little Raven,” said White 
Otter. “Then I will tell you about it.” 

24 


OLD ENEMIES 


They crossed back over the ridge, and found 
Little Eaven waiting with the ponies. He said 
he had seen nothing but a stray antelope on that 
side of the ridge. 

‘^My brothers, you must listen sharp to what 
I am about to tell you,’^ said White Otter. ^*1 
believe a war party is hiding over there where 
those trees grow. I do not know who it is. That 
is bad. Perhaps it is the Pawnees. The Pawnees 
are our enemies. Once they came to our village 
and did much harm. Perhaps they are going 
again to make war on my people. It is true that 
we came here to look for butf aloes. Well, we 
found something different. We are Dacotahs. 
We must find out who is over there. We must 
try to find out where they are going. Then we 
will know what to do. Perhaps we will do a big 
thing for my people. 

White Otter paused and waited for his com- 
panions to speak. Many moments passed before 
Sun Bird finally replied. 

‘‘My brother, your words are good,’’ he said. 
“You are a great war chief. You are the leader. 
Come, tell us what you propose to do.” 

“My brothers, I am going over there where the 
trees grow to find out who is there,” declared 
25 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

White Otter. ^‘Now listen sharp. There is only 
one way to do this thing. I believe scouts will 
come to this place. If we cross over this hill and 
go straight ahead we will meet them. We must 
not do that. I will tell you what to do. That 
gully where we hid ourselves goes a long ways 
toward the lodges of my people. It is good. We 
will follow this ridge that way. When we get 
past those trees, we will cross this ridge and ride 
over to that gully. Those people wiU go the other 
way to look for us. They will follow the tracks 
of our ponies. When we get to that gully we will 
listen. If we do not hear anything, I will go 
ahead and creep up to those trees. Perhaps I 
will find out who is there. ’ ’ 

You are very brave, but you must not go there 
alone,’’ said Sun Bird. ‘‘You will be in great 
danger. I will go with you.” 

“No, you must not do that,” White Otter told 
him. “You must stay behind and help Little 
Raven with the ponies. Then if anything bad 
happens to me, perhaps you can help me. It is 
the best way to do. Come, my brothers, we will 
go away before those scouts come over here and 
find us.” 

They rode northward along the base of the 
26 


OLD ENEMIES 


ridge. They went a long distance before White 
Otter finally turned toward the west. Then they 
rode to the top of the ridge, and stopped to listen. 
All was still. Darkness hid the grove. They 
knew that the ravine was directly ahead of them, 
and they advanced cautiously toward the west. 

^‘Perhaps the ponies will call,’’ Little Raven 
suggested, uneasily. 

“We must be ready,” White Otter cautioned 
him. 

They rode across the plain in silence, alert for 
the first warning of danger. They realized that 
at any moment they might encounter scouts mov- 
ing cautiously through the night along the flank 
of an advancing war party. When they finally 
reached the ravine, the night was far gone. White 
Otter and Sun Bird immediately dismounted, and 
climbed to the top of the ravine. They looked 
anxiously in the direction of the grove. It was 
hidden far away in the darkness. They watched 
for the tell-tale glow of a fire, but had little hope 
of seeing it. 

“No, those people are not so foolish,” declared 
White Otter. 

“Well, my brother, if there is no fire it will be 
hard to see who they are,” Sun Bird told him. 

27 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘^Perhaps my ears will tell me that/’ replied 
White Otter. know the words of the Pawnees. 
I know the words of the Crows. I know the words 
of the Kiowas. I will get close to that place and 
listen sharp.” 

White Otter, I believe it would be foolish to go 
over there,” said Sun Bird. ‘‘K you will listen 
to my words, I will teU you something better.” 

‘‘You are my brother, and you are a chief of 
the brave Minneconjoux — I will listen to your 
words,” agreed White Otter. 

“It is good,” declared Sun Bird. “Now I will 
tell you how I feel about this thing. We are in 
a good place. Those people cannot see us when 
it gets light. You say perhaps those people are 
Pawnees. It may be true. You say perhaps they 
are going to fight your people. It may be true. 
You say it makes you feel bad. You say we must 
find out about it. It is true. I will tell you the 
best thing to do. We will stay here until the light 
comes. Then we will watch close. If any one 
comes away from that place we will see them. 
If they travel toward the lodges of your people 
they will go by this place. Then we will follow 
them. We wiU get close and find out who they 
are. If they go the other way, we will let them 
28 


OLD ENEMIES 

ride away. My brother, I believe it is the best 
thing to do.’’ 

White Otter kept silent. He was studying the 
plan of Sun Bird. The latter waited patiently 
for him to reply. It was some time before White 
Otter spoke. 

‘‘Sun Bird, I have listened to your words, but 
I will not do as you propose,” he said, finally. 
“You say if those people are going to the lodges 
of my people they will pass this place. Perhaps 
they have passed by here in the darkness. If we 
wait here until the light comes perhaps it will 
be too late to help my people. My brother, I must 
find out about it. I am going to do what I told 
you about.” 

“Well, you are the leader,” Sun Bird told him, 
“I will not talk any more against it.” 

“It is good,” replied White Otter. 

A few moments afterward he disappeared into 
the night. Choosing a star to guide him in the 
proper direction, he loped across the plain as 
easily and as silently as Ma-ya-sh, the wolf. 
Aware that there was a possibility of blundering 
into his foes, he stopped many times to listen. 
The great plain was steeped in silence. He 
believed that the strangers had remained in the 
29 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

grove. The thought somewhat relieved his anx- 
iety for his people. He had little fear for himself. 
Having passed through many thrilling adven- 
tures, he had learned to look upon danger and 
death with the stolid indilference of the seasoned 
warrior. 

White Otter had gone a long distance from the 
ravine when he suddenly heard the long, dismal 
wail of a prairie wolf rising through the night. 
The cry had sounded somewhere near the ridge 
upon which the Sioux had passed the day. Wliite 
Otter smiled as he realized that his prophecy 
about the scouts had been verified. 

‘‘They did not find us,^’ he murmured. 

As the call was not repeated, he continued 
toward the grove. He believed that the scouts 
were notifying their comrades that the country 
was free of foes. WTiite Otter found keen satis- 
faction in the thought of outwitting them. He 
had little doubt that they were his hated foes, 
the Pawnees, and he felt certain that they were 
on a war expedition. 

As he approached the grove. White Otter slack- 
ened his pace and became as alert and cautious 
as To-ka-la, the little gray fox. He knew that 
if a war party had taken possession of the grove, 
30 


OLD ENEMIES 

sentinels had been stationed on the plain to watch 
for foes. 

‘‘Now I must be cautious/^ he told himself. 

Soon afterward he saw the grim, black outlines 
of the grove directly ahead of him. It was a 
number of arrow flights away, however, and he 
stopped to listen. He heard nothing. Then he 
advanced. Slowly, cautiously, he moved through 
the darkness, listening and watching for the senti- 
nels who he feared were close at hand. Then he 
heard a pony snort. He stopped and waited in 
breathless suspense. He decided that the sound 
had come from the grove. He advanced still more 
cautiously. When he finally came within bowshot 
of the trees, he suddenly realized his peril. Alone 
and on foot, he knew that once discovered there 
would be little chance of escape. Still he was 
unafraid. Familiarity with danger had given 
him confidence. 

“I will get away,’^ he kept telling himself. 

Then he suddenly heard the murmur of voices. 
For an instant the sound alarmed him. He had 
approached nearer the grove than he had sup- 
posed. He sank noiselessly to the plain. He lay 
there some time, endeavoring to identify the 
speakers. It was hopeless. The voices were low 
31 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

and indistinct, and he could not distinguish the 
words. He realized that he must go nearer. He 
crept slowly forward, a bow length at a time. 
Then he stopped to listen. The voices had ceased. 
His heart beat wildly. An alarming possibility 
flashed through his mind. Had he been discov- 
ered? It seemed impossible. He banished the 
thought. The silence, however, made him sus- 
picious. 

“Perhaps they are listening, he whispered. 

The silence continued. White Otter was per- 
plexed. He was less than half a bowshot from 
the cottonwoods. He heard the leaves trembling. 
He moistened his finger, and found the direction 
of the breeze. It was stirring toward the grove. 
He felt relieved. It seemed less likely that he 
had been discovered. Still he was uneasy. The 
sudden hush alarmed him. 

“Yes, they must be listening,” he declared. 

A moment afterward a pony whinnied. It 
seemed to be on the other side of the grove. It 
was answered by several ponies in the timber, 
Then some one called. The signal was low and 
guarded. A reply came from the grove. White 
Otter heard hoofbeats. Some one was riding 
toward the cottonwoods. White Otter listened in 
32 


OLD ENEMIES 


trying suspense. He heard many voices. He 
breathed easier. The mystery was explained. 
He suddenly realized that the scouts had returned. 
It was the sound of their approach that had 
hushed the speakers in the grove. 

‘Ht is good/’ White Otter said, with great 
relief. 

He believed that as the scouts had failed to find 
evidence of foes, the company in the grove might 
grow bolder. The next few moments seemed to 
confirm his hopes. The strangers were talking 
with far less caution. Still he was unable to catch 
their words. 

must go nearer,” he said. 

He crawled carefully toward the timber, stop- 
ping after each bow length to watch and listen. 
The sounds from the grove reassured him. The 
warriors were talking and laughing, and appar- 
ently had little fear of attack. The ponies, too, 
were making considerable noise. He heard them 
stamping, and grunting and shaking themselves. 
However, he felt quite certain that they were 
securely picketed. 

The sky was sprinkled with stars, and it was 
possible to see several bow lengths through the 
night, but White Otter knew that it would be 
33 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

impossible to penetrate the sinister black shadows 
which enveloped the grove. His ears alone might 
tell him what he wished to know. He was quite 
familiar with the words of the Pawnees, and the 
Crows, and had heard the dialect of the Kiowas, 
and he hoped to identify the strangers by their 
talk. It was a diflScult and perilous undertaking, 
for White Otter knew that to be successful he 
must approach close up to the edge of the timber. 

The night was well advanced and he knew that 
there was little time to spare. The ravine was 
far away, and he realized that he would be com- 
pelled to exert himself to the utmost to reach it 
before daylight betrayed him to his foes. Once 
discovered on the open plain there would be little 
hope of escape. He determined to make his 
attempt without further delay. For a moment 
only he hesitated, while he turned his face toward 
the sky. 

‘‘Wa-kan-tun-ka, make me strong to do this 
thing, he murmured. 

Then he began his perilous, stealthy advance 
toward the timber. 

The sounds convinced him that the strangers 
were assembled at the pool in the center of the 
grove. He feared, however, that sharp-eared 
34 


OLD ENEMIES 


sentinels might be lurking at the edge of the plain. 
Aware that the slightest sound might betray him, 
he sank close to the earth and crept forward as 
cautiously as a panther stalking its prey. It took 
many moments to go a bow length. He had 
stopped behind a dense cluster of bushes close to 
the edge of the timber, when he was startled by 
the sound of voices within several bow lengths of 
him. He believed he had encountered the senti- 
nels. Scarcely daring to breathe, he pressed his 
body against the plain and listened. The words 
of the speakers came distinctly to his ears. He 
failed to recognize them. They were not the 
words of the Pawnees. They did not sound like 
the words of the Crows. The dialect seemed 
strange and unfamiliar. For some moments 
White Otter was confused. He wondered if his 
ears were deceiving him. Then he suddenly iden- 
tified the peculiar accent. Several years before 
he had heard it in the Kiowa camp. The mystery 
was solved. The people in the grove were 
Kiowas. 

Having learned the identity of his foes. White 
Otter was equally eager to know if it was a war 
party or only a company of hunters. He saw 
little chance of gaining the information. Unable 
35 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

to see the warriors or to understand their words, 
there seemed no way to guess the intentions of 
the Kiowas. In the meantime the night was slip- 
ping by. Daylight was not far off. White Otter 
knew that it would be perilous to loiter. Never- 
theless he waited, each moment hoping to hear 
something which might tell him whether the 
Kiowas were out for peace or war. At last he 
was rewarded. He heard sounds in the timber 
which convinced him that the Kiowas were danc- 
ing, and singing their war songs. The scouts at 
the edge of the grove had joined in the chant, and 
White Otter seized the opportunity to retreat. 

Raising himself from the ground, he crawled 
slowly backward until he had gone a bow length. 
Then he stopped to listen. The sounds still came 
from the grove, but he heard nothing from the 
sentinels. Their silence aroused his fears. Alarm- 
ing possibilities suggested themselves. Were the 
Kiowa sentinels listening? Had he betrayed 
himself? He sank to the plain and waited. The 
moments seemed endless. The uncertainty tried 
his courage. He was tempted to spring to his 
feet, and dash wildly across the plain. He real- 
ized that the Kiowas would soon overtake him. 
Then he heard the sentinels talking and making 
36 


OLD ENEMIES 


their way into the grove. They had abandoned 
their vigil. His heart filled with joy. He had 
accomplished his mission. The way was open. 
He was free to go. 

The eastern sky was already turning gray when 
White Otter finally approached the spot where 
he had left Sun Bird and Little Eaven. He 
stopped and imitated the bark of the little gray 
fox. Three times he gave the signal. Then he 
listened for an answer. A familiar voice sounded 
softly through the darkness. 

‘ ^ The way is clear, ’ ^ said Sun Bird. 

A moment afterward White Otter joined him at 
the top of the ravine. They descended into the 
gully to join Little Eaven. 

^‘Well, my brothers, I have found out about 
those people,’’ WLite Otter told his companions. 

‘ ‘ They are Kiowas. I believe it is a war party. ’ ’ 

‘^How did you find out about it?” inquired 
Little Eaven. 

went ahead until I got close to those trees,” 
said WLite Otter. ‘‘Then I crawled up behind 
some bushes. Then I heard some one talking. I 
did not know the words. Pretty soon I found out 
about it. It sounded like the Kiowas. I waited 
a long time. Then I heard those people dancing 
37 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

and singing. Then I said: ‘It is a war party.’ 
That is all I know about it.” 

“Well, pretty soon it will be light,” Sun Bird 
told him. “Then we will find out what the 
Kiowas propose to do.” 

“Yes, we must watch them until we know where 
they are going,” said White Otter. 


CHAPTER IV 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 



T daylight the Sioux peered anxiously toward 


-aX the grove. It was some time before the 
little cluster of trees emerged from the shadows. 
At that moment the Kiowas appeared. 

‘‘See, there are our enemies,’^ said Sun Bird. 

“Watch sharp, White Otter cautioned him. 

Although the Kiowas were too far away to be 
counted, the Sioux saw at once that it was a large 
company. They felt sure it was a war party. 
The Kiowas had turned toward the north. White 
Otter watched them with considerable uneasiness. 

“It is bad,’' he said. “There are many war- 
riors. They are riding toward the lodges of my 
people. We must follow them.” 

“Yes, yes, we will follow them,” declared Sun 


Bird. 


They watched closely as the Kiowas rode slowly 
across the plain. They were a long distance to 
the westward of the ravine, and were moving 
directly toward the north. As they drew nearer, 
the Sioux began to count them. There were sixty 


39 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

horsemen in the company. They made an impos- 
ing spectacle as they rode along in pairs. Even 
at the distance the Sionx noted that some of the 
warriors in the lead wore great war bonnets, and 
they knew that those men were chiefs and war 
leaders. Then several riders left the column and 
galloped away in advance of the company. 

^‘The scouts are going ahead to watch for 
enemies,’’ said Sun Bird. 

*‘Hi, they are coming this way,” cried White 
Otter. 

Two riders had turned toward the east, and 
were riding toward the ravine. They were some 
distance to the southward of the Sioux, but the 
latter were greatly alarmed. They felt quite cer- 
tain that the crafty scouts would follow along the 
top of the ravine to make sure that it was free 
of foes. The Sioux were in despair. They 
feared that they had run into a trap. There 
seemed to be no way of escape. Discovery seemed 
certain. 

‘^They will find us !” cried Sun Bird. 

'V\Tiite Otter watched the horsemen in thought- 
ful silence. He was searching his brain for a 
way out of the predicament. The scouts had cov- 
ered three-quarters of the distance to the ravine. 
40 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 


Delay was perilous. Roused by the thought, 
White Otter suddenly determined to race away 
in full sight of his foes. 

‘ ‘ Come, ’ ’ he cried, as he scrambled wildly into 
the ravine. 

‘ ‘ The Eliowas are coming ! ’ ^ Sun Bird told Little 
Raven. 

‘‘Jump on your ponies and follow me,^’ shouted 
White Otter. 

They rode boldly out upon the plain, and turned 
toward the east. Glancing back they saw that the 
Kiowas had stopped at sight of them. The scouts 
made no effort to follow. 

“ It is good, ’ ’ cried White Otter. ‘ ‘ The Kiowas 
do not know what to do. We will fool them.’’ 

Convinced that their foes had no intention of 
pursuing them, the Sioux slackened the speed of 
their ponies. Then, when they had gone a safe 
distance, they turned to watch the perplexed 
Kiowas. The latter were gathered in a close 
group, and appeared to be holding a council. 

“Well, we are far enough away, now we will 
wait here and see what those people propose to 
do,” said White Otter. 

“Do you believe they know who we are?” Little 
Raven asked him. 


41 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


‘‘No,” replied White Otter. 

A moment afterward the Kiowas resumed their 
advance toward the north. The scouts had joined 
their comrades. White Otter was perplexed. 
He had expected the war party to turn in another 
direction. If the Kiowas really were bound for 
the Ogalala camp he believed they would attempt 
to conceal their intentions. The fact that they 
continued boldly on their way aroused his sus- 
picions. 

“I do not know what to make of it,” he told his 
companions. “If those people are going to my 
village, I believe they will turn around to fool us. ’ ’ 

“I do not believe they know who we are,” said 
Sun Bird. “Perhaps they took us for Pawnees 
or Cheyennes. Perhaps they do not believe we 
will follow them.” 

“Yes, yes, I see that what you say is true,” 
White Otter replied, hopefully. “They do not 
know who we are. I believe they take us for 
Cheyenne hunters. It is good. If they keep 
going ahead, we will circle around and get ahead 
of them. Then we will go to tell my people. 
When the Kiowas come to fight us, we will be 
waiting for them. ’ ^ 

The Kiowas had urged their ponies into a 
42 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 

canter. The scouts were riding toward the 
ravine. The Sioux watched curiously. They 
wondered if the Kiowas intended to ignore them. 

‘‘It is mysterious,’^ White Otter declared, sus- 
piciously. “My brothers, I believe those people 
are trying to fool us. We must be sharp.” 

The scouts turned and rode along the top of the 
ravine, and the war party continued toward the 
north. Sun Bird and Little Raven waited for 
White Otter to announce his plans. The latter, 
however, remained silent. He seemed bewildered 
by the unusual behavior of the Kiowas. He was 
watching the two scouts. They glanced back at 
frequent intervals to make sure that the Sioux 
were not following them. Otherwise they showed 
little interest. 

“It is mysterious,” White Otter said, again. 
“I do not know what to make of it. Come, Sun 
Bird, tell me how you feel about it.” 

“The Kiowas are going toward your village — 
it looks bad,” Sun Bird told him. 

“We must follow them,” said WLifce Otter. 
“Come, we will try to fool them.” 

He rode away toward the east. The two Minne- 
conjoux asked no questions. They looked upon 
him as the leader, and they were content to rely 
43 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


upon his judgment. As they cantered across the 
plain they glanced hack at the Eaowas. The two 
scouts had stopped, and appeared to be looking 
after them. 

‘‘Those scouts are watching us,’’ said Little 
Raven. 

“It is good,” laughed White Otter. “We will 
fool them. Come, ride faster.” 

They galloped the ponies. Then, as they again 
looked back, they saw that the war party, too, 
had stopped, far away to the westward. White 
Otter laughed gleefully. He turned to the south- 
ward, toward the ridge which they had left the 
day before. His companions believed that he was 
planning some wily stratagem to deceive his foes. 

“Keep watching,” cautioned White Otter. 
“Perhaps those scouts will follow us.” 

The Kiowas, however, showed no intention of 
riding after them. One of the scouts was racing 
toward the war party. The Sioux believed he 
had gone for instructions. They kept looking 
back to see what he would do after he had talked 
with his companions. 

“See, see, he is riding back to that guUy,” cried 
Little Raven. “Perhaps they are going to follow 
us.” 


44 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 

“No, I do not believe it,^^ said Sun Bird. 

The war party was moving on toward the north. 
A few moments afterward the scout rejoined his 
companion. Then they, too, rode northward 
along the top of the ravine. It was apparent that 
the Kiowas had decided to pay no further atten- 
tion to the Sioux. 

“The Kiowas are sly,’’ declared White Otter. 
“I cannot tell what they propose to do. Perhaps 
they are going to the lodges of my people. Per- 
haps they are trying to fool us. We must follow 
them and find out about it.” 

When the Sioux finally reached the ridge, the 
Kiowas had already disappeared into a dip of the 
plain. Once over the ridge, White Otter and Sun 
Bird left their ponies with Little Raven, and 
climbed the slope to watch. They had little doubt 
that the crafty Kiowa scouts were similarly 
employed far away to the northward. 

“Now I will tell you why I came here,” said 
White Otter. “I do not believe the Kiowas know 
who we are. I believe they take us for scouts. 
Perhaps they take us for Cheyennes. The Chey- 
enne village is behind us. I came this way to 
make them believe we were going there. WTien 
those scouts do not see us, they will believe we 
45 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

have gone away. Then they will go ahead. We 
will follow them.’’ * 

‘ ‘It is good, ’ ’ Sun Bird told him. 

They had not watched long, however, before 
White Otter became impatient. He realized that 
he was wasting valuable time. He wondered if 
he had blundered. If the Kiowas really intended 
to go to the Ogalala camp, he feared that he had 
given them a big advantage. They were a long 
distance ahead of him, and he knew that it would 
be necessary to ride hard to beat them to the 
goal. The thought shook his confidence. He 
began to doubt the wisdom of his maneuver. 
Each moment added to his. uncertainty. He 
studied the plain for a way to follow the war 
party without being seen. The ridge offered the 
only opportunity. It extended a considerable 
distance toward the north, and by riding along 
the east side of it he believed he might again come 
in sight of his foes. 

“Come, Sun Bird, we will ride along behind 
this hill, and try to follow the Kiowas,” he said. 

Then Little Raven called, and when they turned 
they saw him pointing excitedly toward the north. 
Looking across the plain, they discovered a rider- 
less pony running toward the west. 

46 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 

^ ^ Bring up the ponies ! Bring up the ponies ! ’ ^ 
White Otter called, in alarm. 

They hurried down the ridge and met Little 
Raven. Then they sprang upon the ponies, and 
galloped over the ridge. Once over the top, they 
ran back to watch, while Little Raven took charge 
of the ponies. Two horsemen had already 
appeared in pursuit of the runaway pony. The 
Sioux realized that they had barely escaped 
discovery. 

‘‘They did not see us,’’ declared Sun Bird. 

“It is good,” said White Otter. 

They watched the race with great interest. The 
riders soon overtook the pony. Then they turned 
about and cantered away toward the east. The 
Sioux looked inquiringly at one another. WTio 
were the strange riders? Where had they come 
from? Was another war party in the vicinity? 
The alarming questions flashed through their 
minds. They were puzzled. 

“I believe it is the Kiowas,” White Otter 
declared, finally. “I believe they have turned 
toward The-place-where-the-day-begins. ” 

“Then they must be trying to fool us,” said 
Sun Bird. 


47 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

do not know what they are trying to do,’’ 
White Otter replied, suspiciously. 

In the meantime the distant horsemen had dis- 
appeared, and the plain seemed free of foes. The 
Sioux looked toward the east. They examined 
the tops of the knolls and ridges, and watched 
closely for dust, but saw nothing to convince them 
that the war party had gone in that direction. 

‘^This thing is mysterious,” said Sun Bird. 

They realized that they were in an awkward 
predicament. They knew that if scouts were 
loitering in the vicinity of the spot where they 
had last seen the Kiowa war party it would be 
perilous to remain on the western side of the 
ridge. Still, if they crossed the ridge and 
attempted to advance along the other side they 
feared they would be discovered by scouts watch- 
ing somewhere on that side of the plain. For 
some moments they were undecided as to just 
what to do. 

‘^My brothers, I will tell you how I feel about 
this thing,” Sun Bird said, suddenly. ‘‘If the 
Kiowas have turned toward The-place-where-the- 
day-begins, I do not believe they are going to the 
lodges of our people. If that is true, it would 
be foolish to follow them. I believe there are 
48 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 

many enemies in this country. We must not stay 
here. Come, we will ride around and find out if 
the buffaloes have come into this place. Then 
we will go back to our people.^’ 

‘‘Sun Bird, before we go away we must find 
out about this thing, White Otter told him. 
“Perhaps it is true that the Kiowas are not going 
to the lodges of my people. We are not sure 
about it. Perhaps they know who we are. Per- 
haps they turned around to fool us. Perhaps if 
we do not follow them they will circle around and 
come to the lodges of my people. My brothers, 
we must find out where those Kiowas are going. ’ ’ 
‘ ‘ How can we do that ? ’ ^ inquired Little Raven. 
“A war party leaves scouts behind. If we try 
to follow the Kiowas before it gets dark those 
scouts will see us. If we wait until it gets dark 
the Kiowas will be too far away.’’ 

“Listen sharp, my brothers, and I will tell you 
how I propose to do this thing,” said White Otter. 
“It would be foolish to follow along this hill. If 
we do that the Kiowas will see us. We will do 
something different. We will cross over this hill, 
and ride away toward The-place-where-the-day- 
begins. If the Kiowas are watching they will 
say, ‘Hi, those scouts were hiding behind that hill. 
49 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Now they believe we have gone away. See, they 
are going to tell their people about it. They are 
riding toward the Cheyenne camp. They must 
be Cheyennes.’ We will keep going toward the 
Cheyenne lodges. Then we will circle around, 
and try to find the Kiowas. If we do not find 
them over there, we will know that they have gone 
to fight my people. ’ ’ 

‘^It is good,” agreed Sun Bird. 

‘‘We will go,” said White Otter. 

They crossed the ridge, and rode boldly away 
toward the southeast, in the direction of the Chey- 
enne camp. They had little doubt that sharp-eyed 
Kiowa scouts were watching them. They glanced 
back many times, but saw nothing to confirm their 
suspicions. 

Toward the end of the day they came in sight 
of another little grove of cottonwoods. They 
circled about it many times before they finally 
ventured within arrow-range. The grove was 
unoccupied, and contained a tiny pool. They 
killed several sage grouse in the timber. 

“It is good,” said White Otter. “We will stay 
here until the sun goes away. Then we will circle 
around and try to find the Kiowas.” 

At the end of the day they left the grove and 
50 


TRAILING A WAR PARTY 

rode off toward the north, hoping to cross the trail 
of the war party. Twilight had already fallen 
upon the plain when they finally found the fresh 
tracks of many ponies. The trail led toward the 
east. The Sioux felt sure that it had been made 
by the Kiowas. 

‘‘Now we know that your people are safe,’^ 
declared Sun Bird. 

“Yes, I believe it is true,’^ replied White Otter. 

He was gazing thoughtfully across the plain. 
A new possibility had suddenly suggested itself. 
He felt certain that he had guessed the destination 
of his foes. He turned eagerly to his companions. 

“Now I know about this thing,’’ he told them, 
excitedly. “I believe those Kiowas are going to 
fight the Cheyennes. Yes, now I see how it is. 
They took us for Cheyennes. They tried to fool 
us. When we went away they circled around and 
came over here. Yes, yes, those Kiowas are 
going to fight the Cheyennes.” 

“I believe it is true,” said Sun Bird. “Now 
we know about it. Well, we will not follow them. 
We will go back and look for buffaloes.” 

WHiite Otter was silent. His friends saw that 
he was thinking about something. They waited 
for him to speak. 


51 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘The Cheyennes are onr friends,’^ he said at 
last. “Once we went with them to fight the 
Pawnees. Once we went with them to fight the 
Kiowas. We took away some good ponies in that 
fight. The Cheyennes are very brave. Red Dog, 
their chief, is onr friend. My brothers, I am 
thinking about these things.’^ 

‘ ‘ How do yon feel about it U ^ inquired Sun Bird. 

“I will tell you,’^ said White Otter. “We are 
Bacotahs. The brave Cheyennes are our friends. 
The boastful Kiowas are our enemies. A Dacotah 
helps his friends and fights his enemies. I am 
going to tell the Cheyennes about the Kiowas.” 

“It is good,” declared Sun Bird. 

“Hi, we will go to the village of our brothers 
the Cheyennes, and help them fight the Kiowas, ’ ’ 
Little Raven cried, enthusiastically. 


CHAPTER V 


OFF TO WARN THE CHEYENNES 

H AVINGt resolved to carry a warning to their 
friends, the Cheyennes, the Sioux aban- 
doned their peaceful hunting expedition, and pre- 
pared for war. The idea filled them with enthusi- 
asm. The Kiowas were old foes who stole Sioux 
ponies and killed Sioux hunters at every oppor- 
tunity, and the three young scouts were ready and 
eager to make war upon them. It was not the 
first time they had maneuvered against the 
Kiowas, and they had learned from experience 
that the latter were brave and crafty foes. 

‘‘White Otter, you are a great war chief, you 
must be the leader,’^ declared Sun Bird. 

“Yes, Wliite Otter, you are the leader,’’ agreed 
Little Raven. ‘ ‘ Tell us what you propose to do. ’ ’ 
“We must get to the Cheyenne village ahead 
of the Kiowas,” WTiite Otter told them. “We 
will not follow them. We will circle back toward 
the Cheyenne lodges. Come, we must go.” 

They turned about and rode in the direction of 
the Cheyenne camp. It was a day’s journey dis- 
53 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

tant, and they realized that to beat the Kiowas 
they must reach the village before the next sun- 
rise. The day was almost gone, and the light 
was fading from the plain. Aware that it would 
be necessary to ride continuously through the 
night, they held the ponies to an easy canter. 
As they rode they kept a sharp watch to the east- 
ward where the heavy night shadows were already 
forming. They were fearful that the Kiowas 
might have discovered them. In that event they 
felt sure that those crafty foes would endeavor 
to intercept them before they reached the 
Cheyennes. 

‘‘There is a hill over there,” White Otter said, 
suspiciously. “It is bad. Perhaps the Kiowas 
are riding along behind it.” 

They looked anxiously into the east, but the 
ridge had vanished into the dusk. They won- 
dered if grim Eaowa warriors were racing along 
behind the barrier. The idea troubled them. 
They rode faster. The approach of darkness, 
however, gave them confidence. They believed it 
would be possible to elude their foes under cover 
of the night. 

When they finally turned toward the east the 
plain was dark. They rode more cautiously. It 
54 


OFF TO WARN THE CHEYENNES 

was not long before they heard sounds which made 
them suspicious. A wolf howled somewhere 
ahead of them. They immediately stopped to 
listen. They heard it a second time, but it seemed 
perfectly natural. 

‘‘It sounds like Ma-ya-sh,^’ said Little Raven. 

“I believe it is a Kiowa, White Otter told him. 
“We must watch out.^^ 

They turned from their course, and rode on 
at a walk. Before they had gone an arrow flight, 
they heard the cry of the wolf a short distance 
north of them. They wondered if the scout who 
had called before had circled to search for them. 

“No, I believe it is some one different,’’ whis- 
pered White Otter. ‘ ‘ It did not sound the same. ’ ’ 

“Your ears are sharp,” said Sun Bird. 

A moment afterward a pony whinnied shrilly. 
Little Raven’s pony replied. They stopped in 
alarm. It was apparent that the Kiowas were 
on all sides of them. They feared that the pony 
had betrayed them. They were at a loss to know 
just what to do. 

“Listen,” cautioned White Otter. 

They waited anxiously to hear the hoofbeats of 
advancing ponies. The plain was still. They 
wondered if the Kiowas, too, had stopped to listen. 

55 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

The possibility made them cautious. They feared 
to ride away before they located their foes. They 
believed that if the Kiowas heard them they might 
close in and make it impossible to escape. Their 
only chance seemed to be to withdraw quietly, 
and slip away in the darkness. 

‘‘It is bad,^^ White Otter whispered. “Per- 
haps some of the Kiowas will try to keep us here 
until their friends ride to the Cheyenne camp. ’ ’ 

“Yes, yes, I believe it is what they are trying 
to do,^^ declared Sun Bird. 

The thought aroused them. They realized that 
each moment of delay lessened the chance of 
arriving at the Cheyenne village in time to warn 
their friends. They feared that the war party 
was racing wildly through the night in an effort 
to beat them to the goal. 

“We must go ahead,’’ said White Otter. 

They rode cautiously toward the east. When 
they had gone several arrow flights without 
encountering their foes they became bolder. They 
urged the ponies to a canter. A moment later 
a piercing yell rose behind them. It was answered 
on both sides of them. They heard the hoofbeats 
of galloping ponies. 

“Keep going! Keep going!” cried White Otter. 

56 


OFF TO WARN THE CHEYENNES 

Aware that further caution would be useless, 
they lashed the ponies to top speed, and began 
a wild race across the plain. They heard the 
Kiowas thundering after them. They were 
whooping savagely, and the Sioux learned that 
they were on three sides of them. The front 
appeared to be open. Then White Otter suddenly 
suspected a trap. 

Watch out for the hill!^’ he cried, warningly. 

They feared that other Kiowas were waiting 
for them on top of the ridge. There seemed to 
be no way to avoid them. With foes on both sides 
of them, they were forced to ride ahead. Ready 
to fight those who might attempt to bar the way, 
they stared anxiously into the night for a sight of 
the low, black barrier that threatened them with 
disaster. It soon loomed up through the dark- 
ness. They drew their bows and prepared to 
fight. Then, when they had almost reached the 
base of the ridge, Wliite Otter attempted a bold 
bit of stratagem to outwit his foes. 

^‘Stop! Stop!’^ he cried. 

They threw the ponies upon their haunches. 
Then they listened. The Kiowas rushed past 
them. Wliite Otter saw his opportunity. There 
was not a moment to spare. 

57 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘ * Come ! ’ ’ lie shouted, as he rode wildly toward 
the south. 

The trick had been successful. The Kiowas 
rode part way up the ridge before they discovered 
that they had passed their foes. Then they 
dashed recklessly down the slope, and stopped 
for an instant to learn which way the Sioux had 
gone. 

‘‘Follow me,^^ cried White Otter. 

When they had gone a bowshot, the Sioux 
turned up the ridge and swept over the summit 
before the Kiowas who were waiting to intercept 
them learned what had happened. They reached 
the level plain and were a full bowshot away when 
they heard the Kiowas riding furiously down the 
ridge in pursuit of them. 

“Ride faster shouted White Otter. 

They forced the ponies to the utmost in an 
effort to get beyond hearing of their foes. The 
Kiowas had become quiet. Even the sounds from 
their ponies had died away. The Sioux felt 
encouraged. They believed they had ridden 
beyond ear-shot of their pursuers. Still they kept 
the ponies to the exhausting pace, for they deter- 
mined to make the most of their advantage. 

“We have fooled them — ^it is good,” laughed 
58 


OFF TO WARN THE CHEYENNES 

White Otter. ‘^They cannot hear ns. They do 
not know which way to 

White Otter, you are as sharp as To-ka-la, the 
fox,’’ Sun Bird told him. 

“Yes, yes, you were too sharp for the Kiowas,” 
declared Little Raven. 

“Well, my brothers, we must not feel too big 
about this thing,” White Otter cautioned them. 
“The war party is ahead of us. We must watch 
out. ’ ’ 

He had barely ceased speaking when they heard 
the wolf cry rising through the night. It sounded 
far behind them. Three times it echoed across 
the plain. They knew at once that it was a signal. 

‘ ‘ The scouts are telling their friends about us, ’ ’ 
said White Otter. 

They listened for an answer. They hoped it 
would give them a clew to the whereabouts of the 
war party. There was no reply. It was evident 
that the main company of Kiowas were either 
beyond hearing or too cautious to betray them- 
selves. The first possibility gave the Sioux con- 
siderable concern. If the war party was beyond 
hearing, they realized that it was far in advance 
of them. They wondered if their ponies were 
equal to the task of overtaking their foes. 

59 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘We must go faster/’ White Otter said, impa- 
tiently. 

The ponies were running at speed which few 
ponies in the Dacotah nation could equal, and the 
Sioux believed that if they could maintain the 
pace they would eventually overtake and pass the 
Kiowas. The gallant little beasts showed no 
signs of weakening, and the riders made no effort 
to spare them. White Otter rode a fiery little 
piebald which had been presented to him by Curly 
Horse, the war chief of the Minneconjoux Sioux. 
It had proved its powers on an expedition against 
the Blackfeet the year previous, when it outran 
the famous black war pony of the Blackfeet chief, 
Many Buffaloes. White Otter had little fear that 
it would fail him in the present emergency. Sun 
Bird rode a wiry httle roan, that had proved a 
worthy competitor of the piebald. Little Raven 
was mounted upon a wild-ej^ed pinto, which White 
Otter had presented to him several years before. 
It, too, was famous for speed and endurance. 

Convinced that there was slight danger of being 
overtaken by the scouts, the Sioux fixed their 
thoughts upon the war party. The wolf calls still 
came from the west, but there was no response 
from the east. White Otter wondered if the main 
60 


OFF TO WARN THE CHEYENNES 

force of Kiowas really were as far away as they 
appeared to be. 

‘‘Perhaps they are watching for us,’^ suggested 
Sun Bird. “Perhaps they are keeping quiet so 
that we will not know where they are. ’ ’ 

“It may be true,” said White Otter. 

They had little doubt that the Kiowas would 
make every effort to prevent them from carrying 
a warning to the Cheyenne camp. White Otter 
believed that the war party planned to approach 
the village under cover of the night, and make a 
sudden attack at daylight. 

“We will tell the Cheyennes about it,” he said. 
“They will be ready when the Edowas come to 
fight them.” 

The Sioux were still a long distance from their 
goal, however, and they feared to become too 
confident. Two disturbing possibilities confronted 
them. One was that they might eventually 
encounter the war party. The other was that the 
courageous little ponies might suddenly collapse 
with exhaustion. The latter thought caused them 
the most anxiety. They decided to ride at an 
easier pace. Then WTiite Otter resolved to turn 
more to the southward in the hope of passing 
the Kiowas. He also believed that it would offer 
61 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

a shorter and more direct route to the Cheyenne 
camp. 

The signals from the west had ceased, and the 
Sioux wondered if the scouts had abandoned hope 
of getting into communication with the war party. 
Then the hateful call suddenly sounded across the 
plain. It seemed considerably nearer. They were 
perplexed. Had the Kiowas actually gained upon 
them? It seemed unlikely. 

‘^Perhaps we have passed the war party, said 
Sun Bird. 

‘‘It is mysterious,’^ declared White Otter. “I 
believe we are running into danger.” 

They stopped for a moment to listen. The 
ponies had barely come to a standstill when they 
heard another signal directly ahead of them. It 
was so distinct and close at hand that it startled 
them. The one who had made it seemed to be 
within arrow range. The Sioux believed that they 
had overtaken the war party. The thought roused 
them. They wondered if the Kiowas had discov- 
ered them. They heard a horse cantering across 
the plain. It was somewhere on their right. It 
passed, and they felt relieved. Then they heard 
voices. The speakers were within bow range. 
The rider was moving toward them. The voices 
62 


OFF TO WARN THE CHEYENNES 

ceased as the pony drew near. Then the Sioux 
heard a low, cautious challenge pass between the 
scouts. A moment afterward they resumed their 
talk. The rider had joined his friends. 

‘ The Kiowas have left scouts behind to watch, ^ ' 
White Otter whispered. ^ ‘ Pretty soon those other 
scouts will come. We must get away.^’ 

Then several of the Kiowa ponies called, and 
the Sioux rode away at a furious pace. The 
Kiowas instantly raised the alarm, and raced 
after them. "V^Tiite Otter heard an arrow pass 
over his head. 

^‘Keep low on your ponies!’’ he cried. ‘‘The 
Kiowas are shooting their arrows.” 

The Sioux ponies soon carried their riders 
beyond danger, and then White Otter veered 
sharply in his course and threw the Kiowas from 
the trail. Although there seemed to have been a 
number of riders, the Sioux believed that they 
were scouts, and that the war party was still 
riding toward the Cheyenne camp. 

‘ ‘ They will not catch us again, ’ ’ laughed White 
Otter, as he turned still farther to the southward. 


CHAPTER VI 


A PERILOUS MISSION 

D aylight was dose at hand when the Sioux 
suddenly heard the dogs barking furiously 
in the Cheyenne village. The sounds filled them 
with alarm. Had they arrived too late to warn 
the Cheyennes? Had the Kiowas beaten them to 
the goal? Had the fight begun? The possibilities 
tried their courage. Lashing their exhausted 
ponies into a final, heart-breaking sprint they 
raced recklessly toward the camp. 

As they came within bowshot of the village they 
heard a company of horsemen riding to meet 
them. They drew in the ponies, and listened in 
trying suspense. Had they encountered friends 
or foes? They determined to take no chances. 
Drawing their hows, they waited for the riders to 
approach. They had stopped. They, too, were 
suspicious and cautious. 

‘ ‘ Ho, Cheyennes, we are Dacotahs, ^ ^ cried White 
Otter. ^‘We have come to help you.^^ 

They heard the murmur of voices. A pony 
called. Then all was still. The Sioux waited 
64 


A PERILOUS MISSION 

impatiently. Many moments passed. They be 
came suspicious. 

believe it is the Kiowas,’’ said Sun Bird. 

As he spoke a voice sounded from the darkness. 
It addressed them in the Sioux dialect. 

‘‘Ho, Dacotahs, tell us who you are,’^ it said. 

“Watch out, perhaps the Kiowas are trying to 
catch us, ^ ^ said Sun Bird. 

“I am White Otter; ask your chief Red Dog 
about me, ’ ^ White Otter called out. 

“Ho, my brother, we will come to meet you,’^ 
said the stranger. 

“Wait,’^ cried White Otter. “First tell me 
who you are.^^ 

“I am Painted Weasel — do you know me?’’ 

“Yes, I know you,” said White Otter. 

The Sioux advanced and found a small company 
of Cheyennes waiting a short distance from the 
village. Painted Weasel was an old friend whom 
the Sioux greeted warmly. They found a number 
of other acquaintances in the company that had 
ridden out to intercept them. Painted Weasel, 
however, was the only one who spoke their words. 

“Your ponies have run fast,” said Painted 
Weasel. “Has anything bad happened to you?” 

“My brother, the Kiowas are coming to fight 
65 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

you/^ White Otter told him. ^‘We found out 
about it, and came here to tell you. They are 
close by. There is little time. Ride to the camp 
and call your warriors. ’ ^ 

Painted Weasel addressed his companions. 
When he finished speaking, three Cheyennes rode 
silently into the night. The Sioux knew that they 
had gone to watch for the Kiowas. 

^‘Come,’’ said Painted Weasel. 

When they arrived at the camp they were met 
by Red Dog, the Cheyenne war chief, an old friend 
and ally whom White Otter and Sun Bird had 
saved from death at the hands of the Pawnees. 

‘^Ho, my brothers, you have come to our lodges 
— ^it is good,^^ cried Red Bog. 

‘‘No, Red Bog, it is bad,’^ White Otter told him. 
“We came here to tell you that the Kiowas are 
coming to fight you. They are close by. You 
must get ready. 

When Red Bog repeated the warning to his 
tribesmen, they were thrown into a frenzy of 
excitement. In a few few moments the camp was 
in an uproar. All was confusion, as the alarmed 
Cheyennes ran through the village calling the 
people from the lodges. Then Red Bog took 
command, and restored order. 

66 


A PERILOUS MISSION 

Light the fires he cried. ‘‘Drive in the 
ponies.^’ 

The women and hoys brought fuel for the fires. 
A company of young men rode out on the plain to 
drive in the ponies. The warriors gathered 
eagerly about their chief. The Sioux noted that 
the Cheyennes were few in numbers. 

“It is bad,’’ Red Dog told White Otter. “Many 
of our warriors have gone to hunt buffaloes. 
There are few of us here. It will he hard to hold 
off the Kiowas.” 

“We will help you,” said White Otter. 

“It is good,” replied Red Dog. “I have seen 
you do big things. My people will feel strong 
because you are here.” 

Fires had been lighted to prevent the Kiowas 
from entering the camp under cover of the dark- 
ness. Soon afterward the young men drove in 
the ponies. They were driven into a stout corral. 
Then the warriors stationed themselves along the 
edge of the village to watch for the Kiowas. The 
Sioux joined Red Dog. The latter was a cripple, 
having had both legs broken at the time the Sioux 
saved him from the Pawnees. 

“See, it is getting light,” WRite Otter said, 
hopefully. “I believe the Kiowas will hold back. 
67 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Perhaps they know that we have told you about 
them. ’ ’ 

‘‘Do they know who you are?^^ inquired Bed 
Dog. 

“No/^ replied White Otter. “I believe they 
took us for your people.^’ 

“It is good,’’ declared Bed Dog. 

As darkness finally passed, and dawn lighted 
the plain, the little company of Cheyennes looked 
anxiously toward the west. The Enowas, however, 
failed to appear. The Cheyennes felt more 
hopeful. They believed there was less chance of 
the Kiowas attacking the camp in daylight. 

“If they do not know that our people are away, 
they will be cautious, ’ ’ said Bed Dog. ‘ ‘ Perhaps 
they were coming here to run off ponies. ’ ’ 

“Yes, I believe that is what they proposed to 
do, ’ ’ White Otter told him. 

Soon afterward they saw three of the Cheyenne 
scouts riding toward the camp. When they 
arrived, the warriors crowded about them to learn 
what they had discovered. They said that they 
had heard nothing of the Kiowas during the night, 
but at daylight they had discovered what appeared 
to be a wolf, at the top of a ravine some distance 
to the westward. The actions of the wolf had 
68 


A PERILOUS MISSION 

convinced them that it was a disguised scout, and 
they believed the war party was hiding in the 
ravine. Two of the Cheyenne scouts had remained 
out on the plain to watch. 

‘‘Yes, I believe that wolf was a Kiowa,’’ White 
Otter told Red Dog. “That is how they tried to 
fool us, but we were too sharp.” 

“I do not believe they will come here while it 
is light,” said Red Dog. “Thunder Hawk and 
Running Buffalo are watching. They are sharp. 
The Kiowas will not get past them. ’ ’ 

Convinced that there was no immediate danger 
of an attack, the Cheyennes relaxed their vigilance. 
Red Dog appointed some of the older boys to 
watch along the edge of the camp, while the 
warriors assembled in council to discuss plans for 
defending the village. 

“My brothers, the Kiowas are close by,” said 
Red Dog. “Our brothers, the Sioux, have told 
us about them. It was a big thing to do. If these 
brave Sioux had not come here, perhaps the 
Kiowas would have run off many ponies. Now 
we know about it. The Kiowas are strong. There 
are few of us. It will be hard to keep them out 
of the camp. We must send scouts to bring back 
69 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

the hunters. Then we must make a big fight until 
our people come.^’ 

‘‘Red Dog, give us fresh ponies, and we will 
go to find your brothers, ’ ’ White Otter told him. 

“It is good,^^ said Red Dog. “Cheyennes, the 
Sioux are our friends. They are going to bring 
back the hunters. They are great scouts. The 
Kiowas cannot fool them. Come, my brothers, 
lead out three of my best war ponies for these 
brave Sioux.’’ 

Three of the best ponies in the Cheyenne tribe 
were brought for White Otter and his companions. 
When they mounted them and prepared to ride 
away, an old man came forward and signaled that 
he wished to speak to them. 

“It is Ghost Bear, he is a great Medicine 
Person,” Red Dog told them. 

“Young men, I have some words for you,” 
he said in the Sioux tongue. “You came here to 
help us. You are our friends. I know about you. 
You are brave. You are going into great danger. 
You are going into the country of our enemies, 
the Pawnees. I do not wish anything bad to 
happen to you. That is why I am going to help 
you. But first tell me who is the leader. ’ ’ 

“My brother. White Otter, is the leader,” Sun 
70 


A PERILOUS MISSION 

Bird told him. is a great war chief of the 

Ogalalas. He has done many big things. 

“Yes, yes, I know that White Otter is a great 
chief,’’ said Ghost Bear. “I know that he saved 
the life of Red Hog. I know that he went with 
our people to fight the Kiowas. Now, White Otter, 
I am going to give you something to keep you 
safe. You must wear this mysterious Medicine 
Bag about your neck. It will make you strong 
and keep you from harm. It will give you power 
to overcome your enemies.” 

He advanced to White Otter and gave him a 
small buckskin bag. White Otter fastened it 
about his neck. The superstitious young Ogalala 
felt certain that it contained some mysterious 
Medicine Token which would guard him against 
misfortune. 

“Ghost Bear, I see that you are a great Medi- 
cine Person,” he said. “You have given me this 
mysterious Medicine Thing. I will keep it. I 
believe it will make me strong.” 

“My brothers, you are about to ride away, 
perhaps the Kiowas will try to catch you,” said 
Red Hog. “I do not believe they will be able 
to come up with those ponies. We will keep 
71 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

watching. If the Kiowas go after you, we will 
ride out and drive them back.^^ 

‘‘No, my brother, that would be foolish, White 
Otter told him. “Ghost Bear has given me this 
great Medicine Thing. I see that these ponies 
are fast. The E^owas cannot harm us. You must 
keep watching. The Kiowas are sharp. Pretty 
soon we will bring back your brothers. Then we 
will ride out and chase away the Kiowas. We 
will take many ponies. Now we are going away. 
Be brave, my friends.’^ 

Then the three Sioux scouts rode away toward 
the south. The Cheyennes stood at the edge of 
the camp and looked after them. They kept a 
sharp watch to the westward. There was no sign 
of their foes. They wondered if the Kiowas had 
discovered the three horsemen. 

“I do not believe the Kiowas will follow them,’^ 
Red Dog said, hopefully. 

They continued to watch until the Sioux were 
far away. Then they felt less anxious. Having 
gained a big lead, they believed the Sioux would 
have little difficulty in keeping ahead of their foes. 
Then they suddenly discovered something which 
filled them with gloomy forebodings of evil. A 
golden eagle, the war bird, had appeared in the 
72 


A PERILOUS MISSION 

sky. It was circling directly over the camp. The 
Cheyennes watched it with superstitious fear. 

‘‘It is bad,^’ cried old Ghost Bear, the Medicine 
Man. ‘ ‘ It means war. ^ ^ 

“Look, look, the great war bird is flying toward 
the place where the Kiowas are hiding,’’ cried 
the Cheyennes. 

“It is a bad sign,” the old men declared, 
solenmly. 

“My brothers, we must get ready to fight,” 
said Ghost Bear. ‘ ‘ The war bird has warned us. 
I believe the Kiowas will come to the village.” 


CHAPTER VII 


EED dog's stratagem 

S HORTLY after the Sioux had disappeared, 
the Cheyennes discovered what appeared to 
be smoke, far away to the westward. They 
watched for some time before they became con- 
vinced that it was not a cloud. Then as they 
finally agreed that it was smoke, they felt sure 
that it was a signal from the Kiowa war party. 

‘Ht is bad," said Red Dog. believe the 
Kiowas are waiting for more warriors. They 
are sending up that smoke to tell them where 
they are." 

must be so," declared Painted Weasel, a 
famous scout. 

The possibility filled the Cheyennes with gloom. 
Already outnumbered by the war party in the 
distant ravine, they realized that there was little 
chance of holding the village against a still 
stronger force of foes. For a moment they gave 
way to despair. Some of them proposed to 
abandon the camp, and seek safety in flight. 
‘‘No, no, that would be useless," Red Dog cried 
74 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

fiercely. ‘^Look about you. Do you see the old 
people and the women and children? Well, my 
brothers, think about it. They cannot travel fast. 
If we try to get away, the Kiowas will soon come 
up with us. Then most of us will be killed. We 
must stay here and fight. We are Cheyennes. 
Does a Cheyenne throw away his women and 
children to save himself? I am your chief. I 
will stay here and fight back the Kiowas until 
our brothers come to help us.^’ 

The words of Red Dog roused the fighting blood 
of his warriors. They replied with a ringing 
war cry that echoed threateningly across the 
plain, and carried a bold challenge to their foes. 
The courage of their chief gave them confidence, 
and they were eager to meet the Kiowas. Some 
of the old men ran for the war drums. Then the 
warriors gathered in the center of the camp, and 
began to dance and sing their boastful war songs. 

‘‘It is good,” cried Red Dog. “I see that you 
are ready to fight. If the Kiowas come to the 
village we will kill them and take away their 
ponies.” 

Once begun, the war ceremonies were continued 
far into the day. Then they were suddenly 
brought to an end by the appearance of one of 
75 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

the scouts who was racing toward the camp. 
When he came nearer they recognized him as 
White Horse, a noted warrior. As he rode his 
sweating pony into the village, the Cheyennes 
gathered eagerly about him to learn what he had 
seen. 

“It is bad,^’ White Horse told them. “Many 
more Kiowas have gone into that gully.*’ 

‘ ‘ Come, get off your pony and tell us about it, * * 
said Red Dog. 

“Well, my brothers, I was watching with Run- 
ning Buffalo and Thunder Hawk,” said White 
Horse. ‘ ‘ For a long time we did not see anything. 
Then we saw some smoke. It was far away. 
Pretty soon it stopped. Then we saw some smoke 
coming out of that gully. Then we said, ‘Some 
more Kiowas are coming. They are over there 
where we saw that first smoke. They are trying 
to find the war party.* Then we watched close. 
Pretty soon we saw a scout crawl out of that gully. 
He looked all around. He could not see us. Then 
he looked toward that place where the smoke was. 
He looked a long time. Pretty soon we saw some 
one on a pony over there. Then the man who 
came out of the gully began to wave a robe. Then 
the man on the pony began to ride around. 
76 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

Running Buffalo said, ‘ Those Kiowas are talking 
to one another.’ We kept watching. Pretty soon 
we saw many riders coming out of the place where 
the smoke was. They were riding toward that 
gully. Then some more Kiowas came out of the 
gully to watch. They were waving their arms. 
The riders came faster. Then they all went into 
that gully. My brothers, it is a great war party. 
I believe they will come to the village when it gets 
dark. Now I have told you about it. ’ ’ 

The Cheyennes remained silent for some mo- 
ments after White Horse had ceased speaking. 
His words had confirmed the significance of the 
distant smoke signal. They believed that the odds 
against them had doubled. The thought sobered 
them. They felt little inclination to talk. At 
last, however, old Ghost Bear rose to address 
them. 

‘‘My friends. White Horse has brought bad 
words,” he told them. “He says that many 
Kiowas are hiding over there in that gully. What 
I told you about the great war bird has come 
true. I believe we will have a big fight. Well, 
we are Cheyennes. We have fought the boastful 
Kiowas many times. We have killed many of 
their warriors. We have run off many of their 
77 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

ponies. Pretty soon I am going to burn some 
sweet grass, and sing the Medicine Songs. Then 
I am going to talk to the Above People. I am 
going to ask them to help us. They will make us 
strong. Cheyennes, you must be brave. I believe 
we will hold off the Kiowas until our brothers 
come. I have finished.'^ 

A few moments later Red Dog spoke. The 
Cheyennes turned to him with eager attention. 
He was a great war leader, the son of their 
beloved chief. War Eagle, who had been killed 
in a disastrous battle with the Pawnees, and they 
looked upon him with respect and admiration. 
They believed that he might find a way to over- 
come the advantage of the Kiowas, and save the 
camp. 

*‘My people. Ghost Bear has given you good 
words,” said Red Dog. ‘‘I believe what he says 
is true. I believe the Kiowas propose to fight 
us. I am not thinking about that. I am thinking 
about the old people and the women and children. 
We must try to get them away before the Kiowas 
come. 

^‘Kow, my brothers, listen sharp. I will tell 
you what I propose to do. We will keep watching 
until its gets dark. I do not believe the Kiowas 
78 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

will come while it is light. When it begins to 
get dark we will send the old people and the 
women and children away. Some of yon must go 
with them. You must ride far over toward the 
Place-where-the-day-begins. Then you must circle 
around and go toward the lodges of our brothers, 
the Ogalalas. You must send a scout ahead to 
tell the Ogalalas about it. They will come to 
help you. 

After the women and children have gone away, 
the rest of us will get ready to fight the Kiowas. 
We will try hard to keep them out of the camp. 
Perhaps we will be wiped away. I cannot tell 
about that. We are Cheyennes. A Cheyenne is 
not afraid to die.” 

The Cheyennes immediately approved the plan 
of Red Dog. They believed it offered the only 
chance of saving the women and children. All of 
the warriors, however, wished to remain at the 
camp with Red Dog to fight the Kiowas. 

In the meantime old Ghost Bear came from the 
Medicine Lodge with the sacred Medicine Pipe. 
He called the Cheyennes to assemble in the camp. 
When they had formed the council circle, Ghost 
Bear asked a boy to bring some dry willow sticks. 
Then he asked a warrior to kindle a fire. As the 
79 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

sticks began to burn, Gbost Bear unwrapped the 
Medicine Pipe. Then he rose, and tossed a handful 
of sweet grass upon the fire. As it burned he 
raised his aged face toward the sky, and chanted 
a Medicine Song. Then he took some dried bark 
of the red willow from a small buckskin bag, and 
filled the bowl of the pipe. Having made these 
preparations, he turned to the Cheyennes. 

‘‘My brothers, I have called you here to take 
part in the great Medicine Ceremony,’’ he told 
them. “I have made many smokes to the Above 
People. It is good. I believe they will help us. 
Now I am going ahead with the great Medicine 
Ceremony. You must watch close, and see \yhat 
Ido.” 

He drew a blazing stick from the fire, and 
lighted the pipe. For several moments he extended 
the pipe stem toward the sky, while he invited 
the mysterious Above People to smoke. Then he 
drew upon the pipe and putfed the smoke toward 
the sky, the earth, the east, the south, the west 
and the north. Having begun the ceremony, he 
passed the pipe to Red Dog, who putfed the smoke 
toward the sky. The chief passed the pipe to the 
warrior at his right, and thus it went round the 
circle, each warrior puffing smoke toward the 
80 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

sky and calling upon the Above People to help 
him. 

After all had smoked, the pipe was returned to 
Ghost Bear, who replaced it in its wrappings. 
Then he began a weird, melancholy chant, while 
he moved slowly around the little fire, shaking a 
medicine rattle. The Cheyennes watched him in 
superstitious fascination. They believed implic- 
itly in the strange Medicine Beings with whom 
old Ghost Bear claimed relationship, and they 
hoped that he might arouse them against the 
Kiowas. 

When Ghost Bear finally ended the mysterious 
Medicine Ceremony, the Cheyennes again sta- 
tioned themselves along the edge of the camp to 
watch the plain. The day was almost finished. 
The thought of darkness filled them with doubts. 
They believed that the night threatened them with 
disaster. 

‘^Pretty soon it will be dark,” they told one 
another, uneasily. 

As the sun finally disappeared behind the 
western rim of the plain, they saw a horseman 
riding toward the camp. They watched him in 
great suspense. It seemed a long time before 
81 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


he came within bow range. Then they recognized 
him as Running Buffalo, one of the scouts. 

‘^Running Buffalo is coming to tell us something 
about the Kiowas, ^ ’ they said. 

‘‘My brothers, the Kiowas are singing the war 
songs and making many talks, Running Buffalo 
told them. “I believe they will set out to fight 
us as soon as it gets dark. It is bad. There are 
many Kiowas. Yes, each of us will have to fight 
three Kiowas. I do not know what will become 
of the old people, and the women and children. I 
will not talk about it. My heart is heavy. ^ ’ 

“Running Buffalo, we know that many Kiowas 
are over there in that place, but we are not 
afraid,’^ Red Dog told him. “We are ready. We 
will make a big fight, and try to hold them back 
until our brothers come to help us. Our friends, 
the Sioux, have gone to bring them. 

“Now listen to what I am about to say. I am 
going to fool the Kiowas, and let the old people 
and the women and children get away. I am going 
to send them to our friends, the brave Ogalalas. 
Now I will tell you what I propose to do. When 
it gets dark some of us will ride away toward the 
Place-where-the-warm-wind-blows. We will not 
go far. Then we will turn around, and ride back 
82 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

to the camp. We will make a big noise. Our 
brothers in the camp will make a big noise. When 
the Kiowas hear it they will say, ^ Hi, some people 
have come to help the Cheyennes. ^ Then they will 
stop, and send out scouts. Well, while we are 
making that noise, the women and children will 
get away. They will go toward the Place-where- 
the-day-begins. Then they will circle around and 
ride fast toward the Ogalala lodges. Some of us 
will go with them. Some one will ride ahead and 
ask the Ogalalas to help us. If the Kiowas go that 
way you must tell us about it. Now you know 
what I propose to do. See, the light is going. 
Ride back there and tell your brothers about it.^^ 

^‘It is good,’^ said Running Buffalo. will 
go. When the Kiowas ride toward the village we 
will keep ahead of them. When you hear the little 
gray fox barking you will know that the Kiowas 
are coming. ’ ’ 

He mounted his pony and rode away into the 
west. The Cheyennes watched him in gloomy 
silence. The light was fading. The day had 
ended. Night was close at hand. 

Then Red Dog began preparations for the 
defense of the camp. The boys and old men were 
piling brush and wood along the edge of the 
83 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


village, to be lighted if the Kiowas attempted to 
enter. Fires had already been lighted in the center 
of the camp. The war ponies were brought in, and 
securely picketed. The frightened women were 
packing meat for their journey into the north. 

Red Dog called the warriors to the fire. It was 
a pitiably small company. The Cheyenne chief 
looked upon them with pride. They were great 
broad-shouldered fellows in the prime of life. 
Their solemn faces and serious eyes told him that 
they understood the peril which threatened them. 
Still there was no trace of fear in their hearts. 
They waited calmly for the words of their chief. 

‘‘My friends, the light has almost gone,’’ Red 
Dog told them. “We must get ready to send away 
the women and children, and the old people. I 
will ask some of you to go out on the plain. Do not 
go far. Then you must turn around, and ride to 
the village. Call out, and sing the war songs. 
Make a big noise. 

“Now I will call out the names of some warriors 
to go with the women and children. Cloud Eagle, 
and Two Dogs, and Walks Alone, and Hairy Robe, 
and Lame Bear must take these people to the 
Ogalalas. I will make Cloud Eagle the leader. 
84 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

Now you must get ready to go. When we make 
that big noise you must ride away.” 

The five warriors who had been selected to 
guard the women and children on the perilous 
journey into the north were eager to remain and 
fight the Kiowas. They concealed their disap- 
pointment, however, and began to round up the 
ponies. 

‘‘Listen, Cheyennes,” old Ghost Bear cried, 
excitedly. ‘ ‘ I am an old man, but I am not going 
away. My arms are strong. My eyes are sharp. 
I will stay here and help you fight the Kiowas. ’ ^ 

Encouraged by his example, many other valiant 
veterans of the war trail offered their services 
against the Kiowas. Red Dog accepted them. He 
realized that in the emergency their assistance 
might be valuable. 

“My brothers, you are very brave,” he told 
them. “All of you have fought in many battles. 
If you feel like staying here to fight, I will tell you 
to stay. Perhaps you will kill many Kiowas. ’ ’ 

Having made preparations for the daring 
stratagem by which he hoped to save the women 
and children. Red Dog divided his little force into 
two companies. He appointed Painted Weasel 
as leader of the company that was to ride out on 
85 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

the plain, while Red Dog assumed command of the 
warriors in the camp. Then the Cheyennes waited 
for darkness. 

When night finally settled upon the plain, 
Painted Weasel and his companions mounted their 
ponies and rode away toward the south. At the 
same time Cloud Eagle assembled the women and 
children. Then the Cheyennes listened for the 
signal that would set the camp in a tumult. 

‘‘Hi, they are coming!’’ cried Red Dog. 

The hoofbeats of galloping ponies sounded 
across the plain, and a moment afterward the 
night rang with the wild shouts of the riders. The 
warriors in the camp replied with the piercing 
Cheyenne war cry. Then a perfect bedlam of 
sounds rose from the village. Men shouted, dogs 
barked and ponies whinnied. 

“Come, come, ride away!” Red Dog told Cloud 
Eagle. 

A moment afterward the little company galloped 
toward the east. The hoofbeats of the ponies 
were smothered by the noise from the camp. 
When the wild tumult finally subsided, the war- 
riors raised their voices in the war songs, and the 
sounds carried far across the plain. Red Dog 
86 


RED DOG’S STRATAGEM 

felt certain that the noise had reached the ears 
of the Kiowas. 

‘‘It is good,” he cried. “We have frightened 
the Kiowas. They will be cautions. It will be a 
long time before they come close. The women and 
children have got away. ’ ’ 

The Cheyennes became quiet. They stood at 
the edge of the village, listening anxiously. The 
plain was silent. A great joy filled their hearts. 
They believed that their women and children had 
escaped from the Kiowas. 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

E lated at the successful escape of the 
women and children, the Cheyennes awaited 
the Kiowas with less anxiety. They stood at the 
edge of the village, listening for a warning from 
the scouts. Some of the older boys had been 
appointed to stand beside the piles of brush, ready 
to light them at the command of their chief. A 
small detail of warriors surrounded the corral to 
prevent the Kiowas from running off the ponies. 
The old men kept the fires blazing fiercely in the 
center of the camp. Everything was ready. The 
Cheyennes were eager to begin the fight. 

‘‘Perhaps the Kiowas are afraid to come,’’ 
laughed old Ghost Bear. 

“Keep watching — they will come,” Red Dog 
warned him. 

When half of the night had passed, and they 
had heard nothing of the war party, some of the 
younger warriors began to repeat the words of 
Ghost Bear. The older men cautioned them 
against becoming too confident. They believed 
88 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

that the Kiowas were delaying the attack with 
the hope of catching them off their guard. 

‘‘The Kiowas are sharp,” said Eed Bog. “We 
must watch out or they will fool us.” 

Soon afterward the warriors along the south- 
erly side of the camp called out that they had 
heard a signal. The hark of the little gray fox 
Imd sounded far away to the southward. The 
Cheyennes listened in tense silence. In a few 
moments the signal was repeated. They knew it 
had come from one of their scouts. They turned 
to one another in surprise. Having expected the 
Kiowas to approach from the west, the call in the 
south perplexed them. 

“It is bad,” said Eed Bog. “The Kiowas have 
separated.” 

“Perhaps scouts went over there to find out 
who came to the camp,” suggested Painted 
Weasel. 

“Yes, that may be true,” Eed Bog replied, 
thoughtfully. 

Then they heard another signal. It sounded 
from the west, and was nearer the camp. Eed 
Bog saw his suspicions confirmed. He was confi- 
dent that the Kiowas had separated into two 
companies. 


89 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

^‘They are coming up on both sides of us/’ 
declared Painted Weasel. 

A moment later they heard hoofbeats. A pony 
was racing toward them, from the west. The 
dogs barked furiously. The Cheyennes believed 
that one of the scouts was approaching, but they 
determined to be prepared. They drew their bows, 
and watched suspiciously. The pony stopped 
when it came within arrow range. Then they 
heard the familiar signal. 

‘‘Who are you?” inquired Red Dog. 

“Thunder Hawk,” said a voice from the dark- 
ness. 

“Ride ahead,” Red Dog told him. 

In a few moments Thunder Hawk entered the 
camp. He said that the Kiowas had separated 
into two companies. One had ridden toward the 
south. The other was approaching from the west. 

“Running Buffalo followed the Kiowas who 
rode away,” said Thunder Hawk. “White Horse 
is watching the Kiowas who are coming toward 
the village. He sent me here to tell you about it. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Did you hear us making that noise ? ’ ’ Red Dog 
asked him. 

“Yes, we heard ponies running, and shouts, and 
90 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

then we heard the war songs/ ^ said Thunder 
Hawk. ‘‘After that the Kiowas rode away.’^ 
“They must be scouts/’ said Red Dog. “Per- 
haps they are trying to find out who came here. ’ ’ 
“No, they are not scouts,” declared Thunder 
Hawk. “There are many ponies. It is a big war 
party. I believe they are the warriors who came 
from the Place-where-the-sun-sleeps. ” 

“Then I know about it,” said Red Dog. “I 
believe scouts saw the ponies out there on the 
plain. Those riders who went away are going to 
circle around, and try to run off those ponies. 
Well, we will fool them. The ponies are here. ” 
“Yes, yes, that is what they propose to do,” 
the Cheyennes told one another. 

While they were talking, they heard some one 
approaching from the south. They felt certain 
it was Running Buffalo. He stopped and imitated 
the bark of the little gray fox. Then he galloped 
to the camp. 

“Get ready to fight!” cried Running Buffalo. 
“The Kiowas are coming. They are close behind 
me. They are trying to find the ponies.” 

“The ponies are here,” Red Dog told him, as 
he pointed toward the corral. 

“It is good,” said Running Buffalo. “My 
91 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

brothers, there are many Kiowas in that war 
party. ^ ^ 

*^We are ready,’’ Red Dog said, grimly. 

Having learned that the Kiowas were advancing 
upon the camp, the Cheyennes listened anxiously 
for the approach of White Horse. As time passed, 
and he failed to arrive, they became uneasy about 
him. They wondered what had caused him to 
loiter. They feared that the Kiowas who were 
approaching from the south might circle about 
the village and trap him. 

‘‘I will go out there and find him,” Thunder 
Hawk proposed, impulsively. 

“Wait,” cautioned Red Dog. “White Horse is 
sharp. The Kiowas will not catch him. He is 
waiting to find out about something. He will 
come.” 

As he finished speaking they heard the signal 
in the north. It filled them with alarm. Their 
thoughts turned to Cloud Eagle and the helpless 
company in his care. Had the crafty Kiowas sent 
scouts into the north? The Cheyennes weakened 
at the possibility. They waited in breathless 
suspense for White Horse to reach the camp. 

White Horse soon relieved their fears. He said 
that the Kiowas who were advancing from the 
92 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

west had stopped some distance out on the plain. 
Then he had circled toward the north to make 
sure that scouts had not gone in that direction. 
He had heard nothing to arouse his suspicions. 

‘Ht is good,’’ declared Eed Dog. 

do not believe the Kiowas know anything 
about our people who went away,” said White 
Horse. ‘‘I believe they came here to run off 
ponies. When they found out that we knew about 
it, they sent scouts to bring more warriors. Now 
they are going to mal'le a big fight. Those people 
I was watching will wait out there until they hear 
their friends moving ahead. Then they will all 
rush in. I believe scouts are creeping toward the 
camp. We must watch sharp.” 

“White Horse, your words are good,” said Eed 
Dog. “I believe you have found out what the 
Kiowas propose to do.” 

Eealizing that the Kiowas might begin the 
attack at any moment, the Cheyennes stood at the 
edge of the camp, weapons in hand, watching and 
listening for their foes. They had little doubt 
that scouts were moving cautiously through the 
darkness in an effort to reconnoiter the camp. 
The thought kept them alert. They listened 
sharply for the sound of stealthy footfalls. For a 
93 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


long time, however, all was still. Then a pony 
snorted, in the corral. A dog barked savagely 
outside the camp. 

‘‘Light the fires cried Red Log. 

The boys shoved glowing embers into the brush 
piles. A moment afterward they burst into 
flames. A wide circle of light spread about the 
camp. The Cheyennes looked for their foes. 
They had retreated into the night. 

“It was a scout; he was trying to find the 
ponies,’’ explained a warrior at the corral. 

Believing that the Kiowas were close to the 
camp, Red Log ordered the boys to keep the fires 
blazing. The warriors crouched in the shadows 
from the lodges. They heard nothing further 
from their foes. They wondered if the scouts had 
been frightened away. 

“The Kiowas are like wolves,” laughed Painted 
Weasel. “They are afraid of the fires.” 

As if to verify his words, the dismal wail of 
Ma-ya-sh, the prairie wolf, sounded from the 
south. The Cheyennes started at the sound. 
They knew it was a signal from the war party. 
They believed the Kiowas were ready to advance. 

“Watch out ! ’ ’ shouted Red Log. ‘ ‘ The Kiowas 
are coming.” 


94 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

The wolf call was repeated in the west. It had 
barely died away before the Kiowa war cry echoed 
shrilly through the night. The Cheyennes an- 
swered the challenge. Then the Kiowas raced 
toward the camp. They rode close up to the 
lodges, but the Cheyennes were prepared, and 
drove them back with a deadly volley of arrows. 
The Kiowas turned and sought shelter in the 
darkness. 

‘‘We have chased them back,’’ the Cheyennes 
cried, excitedly. 

“Keep watching,” Ked Dog cautioned them. 

The Kiowas were riding around the camp, and 
yelling fiercely. They appeared to be attempting 
to stampede the ponies. The latter were plunging 
and snorting in terror, and those in the corral 
threatened to break away at any moment. Then 
the Kiowas suddenly made another attempt to 
enter the village. They rode recklessly to the 
edge of the camp, and tried to drive the Cheyennes 
before them. The latter, however, refused to 
yield. They realized that to give way meant 
disaster, and they fought with a stubborn ferocity 
that bewildered their foes. The old men and the 
boys fought as fiercely as the warriors. Somewhat 
sheltered by the lodges, they shot their arrows 
95 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

with deadly accuracy, and the Kiowas were again 
compelled to withdraw. This time they went far 
out on the plain. 

The Cheyennes seized the opportunity to turn 
to their disabled comrades. They had paid a 
heavy price for victory. A third of the little force 
had been killed or wounded. There was little time 
to think about it. The old men barely had time 
to drag the wounded to a place of safety before 
they heard the Kiowas again charging upon the 
village. 

The Cheyennes were amazed when their foes 
passed beyond bow range of the camp, and 
thundered away toward the south. It was some 
moments before they recovered from their bewil- 
derment. They were at a loss to understand the 
strange maneuver. At first they were suspicious, 
and expected to hear the Kiowas riding toward 
them from another direction. Then, as time 
passed and they heard nothing further, they 
became convinced that the Kiowas had actually 
gone away. It seemed too good to be true. 
Despair gave way to joy. The Cheyennes began 
to laugh, and shout and sing the war songs. 

‘ ‘ My brothers, we have done a big thing, ’ ’ Red 
Dog told them. ^ ^ We have chased away that great 
96 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

war party of Eaowas. They are ranning across 
the plain. It is something to tell about. I ’’ 

^‘Listen!” Painted Weasel cried, in alarm. 

A moment afterward the startled Cheyennes 
heard the Kiowa war cry at the edge of the camp. 
Then, before they realized what had happened, they 
saw the warriors along the westerly side of the 
village driven back by a great company of Kiowas 
who swarmed into the camp on foot. At the same 
time the horsemen attacked the camp on the south. 
The wily Kiowas had completely outwitted their 
foes. The Cheyennes were bewildered and demor- 
alized. They rushed wildly to reinforce their 
comrades along the threatened side of the village, 
and the Kiowa horsemen found little opposition. 
They quickly overcame the feeble guard at the 
corral, and stampeded the ponies. Then they 
swept into the camp. The Cheyennes were out- 
numbered four to one. The village was filled with 
Kiowas. Eesistance meant death. 

‘ ‘ Jump on the war ponies and save yourselves I 
cried Eed Dog. 

The Cheyennes rushed toward the terror- 
stricken ponies in the center of the camp. The 
Kiowas followed after them. A furious hand-to- 
hand encounter ensued. Most of the old men 
97 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

were killed. A few escaped notice in the general 
confusion, and disappeared into the night. Old 
Ghost Bear ran far out on the plain, and hid in 
the sage. 

The Cheyennes finally gained possession of the 
war ponies. They mounted and attempted to ride 
away. Less than half of the company escaped. 
Once out of the village, they rode frantically 
toward the north. The Kiowas made little effort 
to overtake them. A small company of warriors 
pursued them a short distance across the plain, 
but soon turned back to assist in rounding up the 
ponies, and share in the plunder. 

When they found that they were not pursued, 
the little band of Cheyennes stopped to learn who 
had escaped. Many famous warriors were miss- 
ing. Then they suddenly discovered that both 
Red Dog and Ghost Bear were absent. 

‘‘I saw Ghost Bear run out of the camp,^’ 
declared Running Buffalo. ‘‘I believe he got 
away. ’ ^ 

‘‘WTiere is Red DogT’ Painted Weasel asked, 
anxiously. 

‘‘He was with us when we were fighting to get 
away,’^ said Running Buffalo. “I saw him kill 
98 


THE ATTACK ON THE CAMP 

two Kiowas. Then the Kiowas rushed at us, and 
I did not see what became of him. ’ ’ 

‘‘Red Dog is dead — the Kiowas have killed 
him,’’ cried the disheartened Cheyennes. 

“Perhaps they have carried him away,” said 
Painted Hawk. 

They rallied at the thought. If Red Dog had 
been captured, they resolved to rescue him. They 
turned toward the camp. Then they stopped in 
dismay. The village was ablaze. The Kiowas 
had set fire to the lodges. The Cheyennes heard 
them yelling triumphantly, far away to the south- 
ward. 

“My brothers, there are few of us left,” 
declared Running Buffalo. “It is useless to try 
to do anything. Come, we will ride after our 
people, and ask the Ogalalas to help us. Then we 
will bring a great war party to fight the Kiowas. ’ ’ 

They turned toward the north with heavy 
hearts, and rode silently away into the darkness. 


CHAPTER IX 


PAWNEES 

A S the Sioux scouts rode toward the south to 
find the Cheyenne hunters, they watched 
closely to make sure that the Kiowas were not 
following them. Then, as the day advanced and 
they saw nothing of their foes, they believed that 
they had escaped from the Cheyenne camp without 
attracting the attention of the Kiowa scouts. The 
thought encouraged them. 

‘Ht is good,’’ said Sun Bird. ‘‘There is no 
danger. ’ ’ 

“We must not be too sure about it,” White 
Otter cautioned him. “Red Dog told us about the 
Pawnees. We must watch out.” 

At first they attempted to follow the trail of 
the Cheyennes, but as the latter had left the 
camp some days before the tracks were old and 
indistinct. The Sioux realized that they would 
be forced to ride slowly to follow them. Then, too, 
they feared that the Cheyennes might make many 
wide and unnecessary detours in their search 
for buffaloes, and an effort to follow them might 
100 


PAWNEES 


cause much useless riding and a great loss of 
time. Aware that each moment was precious, 
White Otter finally determined to leave the trail 
and ride directly across the plain in the hope of 
encountering the hunters. 

^^It is the best thing to do,’’ said White Otter. 

^‘Yes, I believe it will be the quickest way to 
find the hunters,” agreed Sun Bird. 

Late in the day they discovered a number of 
fresh pony tracks leading toward the west. White 
Otter and Sun Bird dismounted to examine them. 
They decided that they had been made only a 
short time before. The trail made them suspi- 
cious. They looked anxiously across the plain. 
There was nothing in sight. 

‘‘Perhaps it is the Cheyennes,” said Sun Bird. 

White Otter remained silent. He was walking 
slowly along the trail, and examining the tracks 
with great care. His companions waited for his 
decision. At last he rose, and shook his head in 
doubt. 

“Do you feel different about it?” Sun Bird 
inquired, anxiously. 

“My brother, I am not sure about it,” White 
Otter told him. “Only a few ponies passed this 
place — there are many Cheyennes.” 

101 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘Perhaps they were scouts, going over there to 
look for buffaloes,^’ suggested Sun Bird. 

“Perhaps,’^ said White Otter. 

He was looking anxiously toward the west. The 
plain was level and free of cover, and it was 
possible to see a long distance ahead. White 
Otter realized that the riders were farther away 
than he had supposed. 

“Perhaps they are wild ponies,’’ said Little 
Raven. 

“Yes, that may be true,” replied White Otter. 
“Well, we will try to find out about them. Come, 
we will follow them. ’ ’ 

He rode slowly along the trail, and Sun Bird and 
Little Raven followed him. His doubts had made 
them suspicious, and they kept a sharp watch for 
foes. They had gone a considerable distance when 
White Otter suddenly stopped and dismounted. 
He stooped and lifted something from the ground. 
He examined it with great interest. Then he 
turned to his companions. 

‘ ‘ See, ’ ’ he said. ‘ ‘ I have found something that 
tells me what I wish to know.” 

He passed the object to Sun Bird. It was a 
small, round, highly polished piece of bone. It 
had a hole bored through the end of it. Sun 
102 


PAWNEES 


Bird recognized it at once. It had come from a 
bone breast-plate, worn by warriors to protect 
them from the arrows of their foes. For some 
moments he stared at it in silence. Then he gave 
it to Little Eaven. 

‘‘Now we know that those ponies carried 
riders,’’ said White Otter. “They are not our 
friends, the Cheyennes. They are warriors.” 

“I believe they are Pawnees,” declared Sun 
Bird. 

At that moment Wliite Otter discovered some- 
thing far away to the northward. A column of 
smoke was rising against the sky. They watched 
it until it finally faded from view. They believed 
it had been a signal from the Kiowa war party. 
Then White Otter suddenly guessed the truth. 

“My brothers, I believe those people are 
Kiowas,” he said. “I believe they are going to 
help their friends fight the Cheyennes. I believe 
those Kiowas near the Cheyenne camp sent up 
that smoke to tell their friends where they are. 
Come, we will see if it is true. ’ ’ 

A short distance farther on the trail turned 
abruptly toward the north. They felt certain that 
a company of Kiowas had gone to participate in 
the attack on the Cheyenne camp. The thought 
103 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

roused them to action. They realized that the 
little force of Cheyennes were in a desperate 
plight. 

^ ‘ My brothers, we must try to find the hunters, ’ ’ 
cried White Otter. ‘ ^ There is no time to spare. ’ ’ 

They left the trail and cantered away toward 
the south. The day was far gone, and they were 
eager to find the Cheyennes before darkness fell. 
They feared that the Kiowas would attack the 
camp some time during the night. Would the 
Cheyennes be able to hold them off until their 
tribesmen came to their aid? The Sioux had grave 
doubts. They looked anxiously across the plain, 
hoping each moment to see the hunters come in 
sight. The day passed, however, and the Chey- 
ennes failed to appear. The Sioux gave way to 
despair. 

‘^It is bad,’’ White Otter said, soberly, as they 
abandoned the search at dark. 

They found a little spring at the base of a 
solitary cottonwood tree, and decided to remain 
there until daylight. After they had picketed the 
ponies they sat in gloomy silence, staring thought- 
fully into the night. The Cheyennes had given 
them some dried elk meat, but they had no desire 
104 


PAWNEES 

to eat. Their hearts were filled with fears for 
the people in the Cheyenne camp. 

‘‘If the hunters were close by I believe they 
would come here for water/ ^ said Sun Bird. “I 
believe they are far away.^^ 

“It must be so/^ agreed White Otter. “We 
looked hard but we could not find them. We did 
not find their tracks. Perhaps they have followed 
the buffaloes.’’ 

“Perhaps they have gone back to their village,” 
suggested Little Eaven. 

For a moment the possibility gave them hope. 
Then they suddenly realized that it would have 
been difScult for the Cheyennes to have passed 
them without being seen. They feared that the 
hunters were still somewhere to the southward, 
searching for the buffalo herds. 

“Well, when it gets light we will ride around 
until we find their tracks, ’ ’ said Sun Bird. ‘ ‘ Then 
we will soon come up with them. I believe Eed 
Dog and his friends will keep the Kiowas out of 
the camp until we bring the hunters. ’ ’ 

“Eed Dog and his friends are very brave, but 
there are many Kiowas,” White Otter told him. 
“I feel bad about it.” 

Then their thoughts were diverted by the 
105 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

strange behavior of the ponies. They had raised 
their heads, and were looking nervously into the 
darkness. The Sioux seized their weapons, and 
sprang to their feet. They untied the ponies and 
stood beside them, ready to mount and ride away 
at the first warning of danger. 

^‘Do you hear anything?’’ Little Raven asked 
White Otter. 

‘‘No,” said White Otter. 

The ponies still seemed restless and frightened, 
but they made no attempt to call. The wind was 
blowing directly toward them. The Sioux believed 
that if either men or horses were approaching the 
ponies would have called. Nevertheless, they 
determined to take every precaution. 

“Perhaps something is coming here to drink, 
said Sun Bird. 

“Listen,” whispered White Otter. 

They heard something moving about in the 
darkness. One of the ponies snorted and plunged 
wildly. It tore the lariat from the grasp of Little 
Raven, and dashed away. White Otter and Sun 
Bird sprang upon their ponies and raced after 
it. At that moment Little Raven saw two small 
awkward creatures galloping toward him. He 
shot his arrow before he recognized them. One of 
106 


PAWNEES 


them rolled over, bawling lustily. The other ran 
oif. Little Eaven suddenly identified them as 
cubs of the grizzly bear. 

^ ‘ Hi, now I must watch out, ’ ’ he said. 

The next moment a savage roar sounded close 
at hand, and he saw the mother bear running 
toward the wounded cub. He shot his arrow, 
and the bear turned to face him. For an instant 
he saw the threatening glare of her eyes. Then 
she rushed at him. He shot another arrow. Then 
he fled toward the cottonwood. He barely had 
time to draw himself to the lowest limb before 
the enraged bear was at the tree. She reared 
unsteadily, and tried to climb. Little Eaven 
attempted to draw an arrow from his bow-case 
and almost fell from the limb. In the meantime 
the bear had dropped to the ground, and galloped 
back to her cubs. At that moment Little Eaven 
heard his friends returning with the ponies. 

^ ‘ W atch out, Ma-to-ho-ta is here ! ^ ’ he cried. ‘ ^ I 
have killed one of her babies. She is very mad.’^ 

‘‘Where are youT^ WTiite Otter inquired, 
anxiously. 

‘ ‘ I am up here in this tree, ’ ^ said Little Eaven. 

“Ma-to-ho-ta has turned our brother into Zi-ca, 
the squirrel, ^ ^ laughed Sun Bird. 

107 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

As the Sioux advanced, the bear rushed to meet 
them. Little Raven heard them shoot their 
arrows, and gallop away. There was no sound 
from the bear. He believed they had killed it. 

‘‘Ma-to-ho-ta is dead,’^ he shouted. 

‘‘Stay where you are,’’ cautioned White Otter. 
“We will find out about it. ’ ’ 

Little Raven heard the ponies snorting nerv- 
ously, as his friends rode forward to investigate. 
Then he heard one of the cubs whining. Some 
one shot an arrow. The cub became quiet. A 
moment afterward White Otter called him. 

“Come down, my brother, Ma-to-ho-ta and her 
babies are dead,” he said. 

“I was like a feeble old man,” Little Raven 
cried, angrily, as Sun Bird gave him the lariat 
of the runaway pony. “That horse fooled me.” 

“It is bad,” said White Otter. “If the Paw- 
nees came here instead of Ma-to-ho-ta they would 
have run off that pony. ’ ’ 

They picketed the ponies, and went to examine 
the bear. It was unusually large, but thin, and 
poor in fur, as usual at that season. Little Raven 
cut off the claws and shared them with his com- 
panions. They fastened them to their rawhide 
belts. Then White Otter cut open the carcass 
108 


PAWNEES 

and drew out the heart. He divided it into three 
portions, and they ate it. It was an old custom of 
their people, and they believed that it would give 
them the strength and courage for which Ma-to- 
ho-ta was famous. 

The night passed without further alarm, and at 
the first signs of dawn the Sioux rode away to 
search for the Cheyennes. Eed Dog had told them 
that the hunters proposed to go a day’s journey 
to the southward, and then circle about the plain 
until they discovered the buffalo herd. 

‘‘Well, they must be close by,” declared Little 
Raven. 

“We must try hard to find them,” White Otter 
told him. 

His mind was filled with distressing possibilities 
concerning the people in the Cheyenne village. 
Had the Kiowas made an attack? Had Red Dog 
and his warriors beaten them off? White Otter 
feared to hope. 

Half of the day had passed before the Sioux 
saw anything to give them encouragement. Then 
White Otter discovered a great dust cloud rising 
behind a long, undulating sweep of the plain, far 
to the westward. They watched it with breathless 
interest. 


109 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘I believe many buffaloes are running behind 
that hill,^’ said Sun Bird. ‘‘I believe the Chey- 
enne hunters are chasing them.’’ 

‘^Yes, yes, it is the buffalo herd!” cried Little 
Raven. ‘‘Now we will find the hunters.” 

‘ ‘ Come, we will ride over there, but we must be 
cautious,” White Otter told them. 

They cantered hopefully across the plain. They 
felt quite certain that they would find the Chey- 
enne hunters pursuing the buffaloes behind the 
distant ridge. As they drew near, however. 
White Otter urged caution. The dust cloud had 
died away, and he was somewhat suspicious. His 
companions heeded his warning. 

“Yes, we must watch out,” agreed Sun Bird. 

As they finally came within arrow range, they 
stopped and examined the top of the ridge with 
great oare. It was exposed, and bare of cover, 
and offered a poor hiding place. The Sioux saw 
nothing to arouse suspicion. 

“There is no one there,” declared Sun Bird. 

“I believe it is safe,” said White Otter. 

Eager to reach the Cheyennes before they got 
farther away, the Sioux galloped boldly toward 
the ridge. When they reached it. White Otter 
and Sun Bird dismounted and scrambled up the 

no 


PAWNEES 


slope to reconnoiter. The plain was dotted with 
dead buffaloes, and farther to the westward they 
saw a great company of riders pursuing the herd. 

‘^They are our friends, the Cheyennes,’’ Sun 
Bird said, excitedly. ^^Come, we must catch up 
with them.” 

‘‘I cannot tell who they are, but I believe they 
are the Cheyennes, ’ ’ White Otter told him. 

They told Little Eaven to bring the ponies. 
Then they rode impulsively across the plain. 
Their eagerness to overtake the hunters made 
them reckless. They raced after the distant 
horsemen at top speed. They passed a cluster 
of trees but took little notice of them. Convinced 
that they had found the Cheyennes, their one 
desire was to overtake them. Buffaloes and 
hunters had disappeared into a dip of the plain. 

‘‘They are riding fast, it will be hard to catch 
them, ’ ’ declared Sun Bird. 

The hunters apparently had failed to notice 
them. The Sioux were somewhat surprised. They 
had expected to be discovered when they rode 
over the ridge. White Otter became suspicious. 

“It is mysterious,” he said. 

They had begun to ascend the hill over which 
the hunters had disappeared. Great clouds of 
111 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

dust rose to the westward. It was evident that 
the chase was still continuing. Then White Otter 
suddenly glanced back across the plain. He 
stopped his pony and cried out in alarm. 

‘^Stop!’^ he shouted. 

A small company of horsemen were riding after 
them. They appeared to have come from the 
little grove of trees. The Sioux studied them 
with grave suspicion. At first they took them 
for Cheyenne scouts. As they came nearer, how- 
ever, WTiite Otter became doubtful. 

Watch out,’’ he warned. ‘‘Perhaps we have 
run into a trap.” 

He had barely uttered the warning, when the 
horsemen whom they had been pursuing swept 
down upon them from the top of the ridge. For 
one brief moment the Sioux stared at them in 
astonishment. They could scarcely believe their 
eyes. The buffalo hunters were Pawnees. They 
were already within arrow range. 

“Come!” cried White Otter, as he rode madly 
down the slope. 

“Keep low, they are shooting their arrows,” 
warned Sun Bird. 


CHAPTER X 


A DESPERATE CHASE 

T he Sioux turned toward the south with the 
hope of encountering the Cheyennes some- 
where in that direction. The Pawnees were close 
behind them, and the race was thrilling. The 
scouts who had followed them from the grove were 
riding desperately to get in front of them. The 
buffalo hunters were thundering after them. The 
Sioux feared that unless they could withdraw 
beyond bow range it would be only a matter of 
moments before either they or their ponies were 
pierced by Pawnee arrows. Having escaped from 
the first fierce volley, they crouched low and lashed 
the Cheyenne ponies into a terrific burst of speed 
to outdistance their foes. 

^‘The Pawnee ponies are tired; they will soon 
give out,^’ cried Sun Bird. 

It was their one hope. They believed that the 
Pawnees had fatigued their ponies in the long 
chase after the buffaloes, and they had doubts 
that they could maintain the pace. The ponies 
of the scouts from the grove, however, appeared 
113 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

fresh and speedy, and the Sioux felt less hopeful 
of eluding them. There were nine riders in the 
latter company, and they were racing wildly along 
the flank of the Sioux in an attempt to pass them. 
They were still beyond range, but were riding at 
a sharp angle which would soon bring them within 
bowshot. 

‘^See, the hunters are dropping back!’’ Little 
Raven cried, joyfully. ^ ^ Their arrows are falling 
behind us.” 

‘‘We must watch those other riders,” White 
Otter cautioned him. “Their ponies are fresh. 
They are coming fast. We must keep ahead of 
them. ’ ’ 

It seemed as if the hope of the Sioux was being 
realized. The main company of Pawnees appeared 
to be losing ground. They had ceased wasting 
their arrows. The Sioux glanced back and saw 
that the distance between them and their pursuers 
had increased considerably. The riders on their 
flank, however, were keeping up with them. Little 
Raven drew his bow. 

‘ ‘ Save your arrows, ’ ’ cautioned White Otter. 

Aware that the Sioux were distancing them, 
the Pawnee hunters were shouting encouragement 
to their tribesmen. The latter, however, were 
114 


A DESPERATE CHASE 

unable to gain. They were forcing their ponies 
to the limit, but the Sioux held their advantage. 
They were riding toward a small stand of timber, 
some distance ahead of them. 

‘ ‘ The Cheyenne ponies are fast, they will carry 
us away,’’ said Sun Bird. 

A moment afterward Little Raven’s pony stum- 
bled and plunged to its knees. Little Raven was 
thrown heavily to the ground. His friends turned 
in dismay. The Pawnees yelled triumphantly, 
and lashed their ponies to a fresh burst of speed. 
Little Raven had kept tight hold of the lariat, 
however, and as the pony struggled to its feet 
he sprang upon its back. Then he discovered 
that the animal had been crippled. It ran with 
short, faltering strides, and had lost its speed. 

‘‘My pony is lame — leave me and save your- 
selves,” Little Raven cried, bravely. 

“We will die together,” White Otter told him. 
“Come, we will kill these Pawnees.” 

They drew their bows and prepared to fight. 
The Pawnees were within arrow range. The nine 
scouts were abreast of them. The hunters were 
close behind them. The crippled pony was 
steadily losing ground. Their situation was des- 
perate. An arrow passed between White Otter 
115 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

and Sun Bird. Another grazed the flank of the 
injured pony. The Pawnees were almost upon 
them. The Sioux saw little chance of reaching 
the timber. Escape seemed impossible. They 
abandoned hope. 

* ‘ Come, my brothers, we will show the Pawnees 
how to die,’’ Sun Bird said, fiercely. 

At that moment Little Raven’s pony recovered 
from the effects of its fall. It sprang forward 
with new life. The injury appeared to have been 
only temporary. The Sioux yelled with joy. 
Their hopes revived. They determined to fight 
desperately for their lives. The Pawnee scouts 
were circling to get in front of them. White Otter 
shot his arrow at the foremost rider, and the 
Pawnee fell to the plain. Sun Bird’s arrow sent 
a pony to its knees. Little Raven twisted about 
and wounded a Pawnee behind him. Then they 
raced forward and gained the lead. A volley of 
arrows came from the Pawnees. White Otter 
was struck in the shoulder. It was a slight wound, 
and he withdrew the arrow and shot it at his foes. 
Then the . Sioux crouched low on their ponies, and 
rode toward the timber. They soon drew away 
from the exhausted ponies of the Pawnee hunters, 
but the scouts kept close beside them. The Sioux 
116 


A DESPERATE CHASE 

were within several arrow flights of their goal, 
however, and their hopes grew stronger. They 
made savage use of their heavy riding quirts, and 
the Cheyenne ponies increased their speed. Stride 
by stride they drew away from the Pawnees until 
they finally carried their riders beyond bowshot. 

‘‘Keep them running, keep them running 
cried White Otter. “We will get away.’^ 

They reached the timber more than a bowshot 
ahead of the nearest Pawnees. Then they jumped 
from the trembling ponies, and prepared to fight 
off their foes. The latter, however, had failed 
to follow them. Aware that the Sioux had sud- 
denly gained the advantage, the Pawnees were 
cautious about exposing themselves. They had 
stopped a long bowshot beyond the trees, and 
appeared to be holding a council. 

“The Pawnees are afraid to come after us,’^ 
declared Little Raven. 

“We must be ready,’’ Wliite Otter told him. 

In a few moments the Pawnees separated, and 
surrounded the grove. Then they circled around 
the timber, shouting taunts, and whooping sav- 
agely. The Sioux laughed at them. 

“They sound very fierce,” Sun Bird said, 
sarcastically. 


117 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

^ ^ They are very cautious, ’ ’ laughed White Otter. 

They wondered what the Pawnees proposed to 
do. They showed little inclination to approach. 
They had stopped riding. Many of them had 
dismounted. The Sioux watched closely. They 
feared that the crafty Pawnees might be attempt- 
ing to trick them. 

‘‘I believe they will go away,^^ Little Raven 
said, finally. “They did not come out to fight. 
They are hunters. They have killed many buf- 
faloes. If they leave them back there, Ma-ya-sh, 
the wolf, will eat them. I believe some of those 
warriors will go back there to watch. I believe 
some of them will go to their village to send their 
people for that meat. My brothers, how do you 
feel about itU’ 

“I do not believe they will go away,’’ Sun Bird 
told him. 

“No, they will not go away,” declared WTiite 
Otter. “We have killed some of their friends. 
They are mad. They will stay here.” 

Soon afterward they saw a number of warriors 
leave the circle and ride nearer the grove. Then 
they stopped, and began to shout, and shake their 
weapons. In a few moments the rest of the 
Pawnees began to cry out threateningly. Then 
118 


A DESPERATE CHASE 

a warrior on a spotted pony rode forward and 
began to talk. He spoke in loud tones, and Little 
Raven, who had been a captive in the Pawnee 
camp, understood many of his words. 

‘‘He is talking about those warriors who were 
making that noise,’’ said Little Raven. “He is 
telling his friends how brave those young men 
are. He says they are coming in here to drive 
us out.” 

“Well, their friends will see that they are very 
foolish, ’ ’ declared Sun Bird. 

“Do you know that warrior who is talking?” 
White Otter asked Little Raven. 

“He talks like Jumping Horse, but he is too 
far away, I am not sure about it,” said Little 
Raven. “I believe some of those warriors know 
who I am. It is bad. They will try to catch me. ’ ’ 

“Hi, those foolish young men are getting ready 
to ride over here,” said White Otter. “I believe 
they propose to throw themselves away. Watch 
out, they are coming.” 

A moment afterward the little company of 
Pawnees raced toward the timber. They were 
yelling and waving their bows, and their tribes- 
men were wild with excitement. The Sioux waited 
calmly at the edge of the timber. When the 
119 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

riders drew near, however, they suddenly swerved 
and rode around the grove at top speed. They 
were within easy arrow range, and the Sioux 
instantly realized the significance of the maneuver. 

‘‘They are trying to make us shoot our arrows,’^ 
said White Otter. 

“We are not so foolish,’’ laughed Sun Bird. 
“We will wait until they rush in.” 

WThen the riders saw that the trick had failed, 
they returned to their companions. Then the 
Pawnees crowded together for another council. 
The Sioux saw the warrior on the spotted pony 
talking excitedly, but they were unable to catch 
his words. 

“I believe that man is the leader,” declared 
White Otter. “He is telling his friends what 
to do.” 

“I believe he is Jumping Horse — ^he is a great 
war leader, ’ ’ said Little Raven. 

“They are getting ready to rush in,” Sun Bird 
declared, uneasily. 

Then the same company of warriors again rode 
forward, shouting, and singing their war songs. 
They lashed their ponies into a gallop and rode 
recklessly toward the grove. This time, how- 
ever, they did not turn aside. 

120 


A DESPERATE CHASE 

^‘Get ready to fight/’ cried Sun Bird. 

^‘Wait until they come close,” cautioned White 
Otter. 

There were ten Pawnees in the attacking party, 
and they kept close together and attempted to 
ride their ponies into the little patch of timber. 
The Sioux took shelter behind the trees, and 
waited until their foes were almost upon them. 
Then they raised the Dacotah war cry and shot 
their arrows. Two of the Pawnees toppled from 
their ponies. The others halted in dismay. 
Unable to see the Sioux, they were bewildered 
and alarmed. Before they could rally, the Sioux 
renewed the savage attack, and another rider 
slipped limply from his pony. Then the Pawnees 
lost hope and raced away in pursuit of the rider- 
less ponies. 

‘‘Hi, we showed the Pawnees how to fight,” 
Sun Bird cried, fiercely. 

“Now they will try hard to kill us,” White 
Otter warned him. 

The defeat of the warriors who had attacked 
the Sioux threw the Pawnees into a rage. They 
began to race furiously around the grove, gradu- 
ally drawing nearer until they were within close 
arrow range. Then they shot their arrows into 
121 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

the timber. The Sioux were well sheltered, how- 
ever, and had little fear of being hit. 

‘‘It is good, the Pawnees are sending us 
arrows, ’ ^ Little Raven said, mockingly. 

‘ ‘ Keep watching, ’ ’ replied White Otter. ‘ ‘ They 
are very mad. I believe they will rush in. ^ ^ 

It was not long before the Sioux saw the motive 
for the attack. The Pawnees were attempting 
to divert their attention, while several daring 
scouts rode close up to the timber and carried off 
the three unfortunate warriors who had been 
killed. Then the entire company withdrew beyond 
bow range. 

“The Pawnees have carried away their 
brothers,” said Sun Bird. “Perhaps they are 
going to give up the fight.” 

“No, I do not believe it,” White Otter replied, 
doubtfully. 

The Pawnees had formed in a great circle about 
the timber. They were watching quietly, like a 
company of wolves that had surrounded their 
quarry but feared to attack. The Sioux tried to 
guess their intentions. Sun Bird and Little 
Raven hoped that they might suddenly withdraw, 
but White Otter was suspicious. 

“I believe they will stay here until it gets 
122 


A DESPERATE CHASE 

dark,’’ he said. ‘‘Then they will try to creep 
up close. It is had. We cannot help our friends, 
the brave Cheyennes.” 

The thought filled them with despair. For the 
moment their own peril was forgotten in their 
concern for the safety of Red Dog and his people. 
Having failed to find the Cheyenne hunters, the 
Sioux feared to think what might have happened 
to the little company in the distant village. The 
peril roused them. 

“We have done a foolish thing,” Sun Bird 
cried, hotly. “Now we must try to get away and 
do the thing we set out to do.” 

‘ ‘ I am thinking about it, ’ ’ White Otter told him. 

“What do you propose to do?” inquired Sun 
Bird. 

“When it grows dark we will try to get past 
the Pawnees,” White Otter said, quietly. 


CHAPTER XI 


A NIGHT OF SURPEISES 


ATE in the day half of the Pawnees withdrew^ 



1 . J toward the east. The Sioux felt certain that 
they had gone to watch the buffaloes which they 
had killed. The rest of the company came nearer 
to the timber. Then they began to taunt and 
threaten the Sioux. The latter took no notice of 
them. They waited anxiously for the end of the 
day, hoping that darkness might make it possible 
to escape. 

There are not so many Pawnees; perhaps we 
will be able to get away,’^ Little Raven said, hope- 
fully. 

‘ ‘ They will watch sharp, ’ ’ White Otter told him. 

Although the company had been reduced by 
half, the Sioux were still outnumbered by ten to 
one. They felt encouraged, however, when the 
Pawnees showed no further inclination to attack 
them. The sun was getting low in the west, and 
the day was passing. They were eager for night. 

Then, as twilight was settling upon the plain, 
two scouts returned from the east. It was evi- 


124 


A NIGHT OF SURPRISES 

dent that they had brought word of great impor- 
tance. The Pawnees appeared to be much excited. 
They had gathered about the scouts, and were 
talking earnestly. A few moments later the Sioux 
were amazed to see the entire company ride off 
toward the east. 

‘‘Watch out, it is a trick,’’ said Sun Bird. 

“I believe those riders came back to fool us,” 
declared Little Raven. 

White Otter offered no explanation. He was 
watching the Pawnees with grave interest. As 
they continued across the plain, an alarming pos- 
sibility flashed through his mind. He turned 
excitedly to his companions. 

“My brothers, I believe the Pawnees have 
found the Cheyenne hunters,” he said. 

“It is true,” cried Sun Bird. “Perhaps the 
Cheyennes found those dead buffaloes. Come, we 
will follow the Pawnees, and find out about it.” 

“Wait,” said White Otter. “We must be 
cautious. Perhaps scouts are watching to see 
what we propose to do. We will fool them. We 
will ride toward the Place-where-the-warm-wind- 
blows. Then when it gets dark we will circle 
around and come back to the place where the 
Pawnees killed those buffaloes.” 

125 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘It is good/’ said Sun Bird. 

They waited a few moments longer to make sure 
that the Pawnees had actually gone. Then, as 
they saw nothing of them, they mounted the 
ponies and rode toward the south. They held the 
ponies to an easy canter, and kept a sharp watch 
behind them. The Pawnees failed to appear. 

“Wa-kan-tun-ka, the Great Mystery, has given 
us our lives, ’ ’ declared Sun Bird. 

“It is true,” said White Otter. “Perhaps we 
will be able to help the Cheyennes. I believe we 
will find them over there near those buffaloes.” 

At dark they turned sharply toward the east. 
They went a long way before they finally circled 
toward the north. They rode in silence, listening 
sharply for sounds from the Pawnees. The night 
was still. 

“Perhaps the Cheyennes are getting ready to 
fight the Pawnees,” suggested Sun Bird. 

“That would be bad,” declared White Otter. 
“If the Cheyennes are over there we must find 
them, and tell them to come away. They must 
go to help their people. There is little time. I 
am thinking about Red Dog, and the women and 
children in that camp. Perhaps the Kiowas have 
killed them.” 


126 


A NIGHT OF SURPRISES 


When they finally drew near the place where 
the Pawnees had killed the buffaloes, they stopped 
to listen. Then, as they heard nothing to alarm 
them, they advanced with great caution. The sky 
was bright with stars, and they were able to see 
a short distance through the night. They knew 
that they were to the eastward of the place where 
they had first seen the buffaloes. 

‘ Pretty soon we will circle around, and go over 
there, said White Otter. 

They turned toward the west, and soon came 
in sight of the ridge from which they had discov- 
ered the Pawnee hunters. A few moments later 
a pony called within bowshot of them. They 
stopped in alarm. Then a voice challenged softly 
from the darkness. Little Raven recognized the 
Pawnee dialect. He immediately replied. 

‘‘It is good, my brother,’’ he said in the Pawnee 
tongue. “Where are our enemies?” 

‘ ‘ They are hiding over there among the trees, ’ ’ 
said the Pawnee. “Our brothers are watching.” 

“It is good,” Little Raven told him. “We will 
go ahead. You must keep watching.” 

“Who is with you?” the Pawnee inquired, curi- 
ously. 


127 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 
hear something — ^keep quiet, Little Raven 
said, craftily. 

The next moment they rode up the ridge. They 
listened uneasily, for they feared that the Pawnee 
might become suspicious and follow them. As 
they heard nothing to verify their fears, they 
crossed the ridge and moved stealthily out across 
the plain. 

‘‘Little Raven, you are as sharp as an old wolf,’’ 
whispered White Otter. “You have done a great 
thing. Now we know that the Cheyennes are 
over there where the trees grow.” 

They also knew that sharp-eared Pawnee scouts 
were on guard, and they feared that it would be 
difficult to avoid them. The Sioux moved forward 
with the alert, nervous caution of frightened deor. 
They had not gone far when the ponies snorted 
and swerved aside. They stopped in alarm. 
Then they discovered one of the dead buffaloes. 
They had difficulty in persuading the ponies to 
pass it. 

“Perhaps the Pawnees will hear us,” whispered 
Sun Bird. 

“Listen,” cautioned White Otter. 

Some one was riding toward them. Their 
hearts beat wildly. They feared to move. Many 
128 


A NIGHT OF SURPRISES 

anxious moments passed. Then the sounds 
gradually died away. What had become of the 
rider? Which way had he gone? They listened 
anxiously for a clew. It was a long time before 
they felt secure. Then, as the stillness continued, 
they moved slowly forward. 

‘^The way is clear, White Otter whispered, 
finally. 

They continued their perilous advance. Then 
they heard the cry of the big gray timber wolf, 
somewhere behind them. It was the favorite 
signal of the Pawnees. They feared that their 
foes had discovered them. They stopped and 
listened. In a few moments they heard the call 
farther out on the plain. The Pawnees were sig- 
naling. What did it mean? 

‘‘Perhaps that scout back there is telling his 
friends about us,^’ said Sun Bird. 

“No, no, he does not know about us,’’ Little 
Raven assured him. “I fooled him. He took us 
for Pawnees.” 

“Perhaps the Pawnees are getting ready to 
rush against the Cheyennes,” said White Otter. 

The possibility startled them. They realized 
that if the Pawnees were closing in upon the grove 
there was not a moment to spare. They stared 
129 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

anxiously into the night in an effort to locate the 
timber. It was hidden in the darkness. There 
was nothing to guide them in the proper direction. 
They knew that it would be easy to pass beyond it. 
The blunder might prove fatal. 

‘‘We must watch sharp/’ whispered White 
Otter. 

They circled cautiously until they eventually 
saw the clump of trees showing darkly through 
the night. Then they stopped and listened sus- 
piciously. They felt certain that Pawnee scouts 
were close at hand, and they feared colliding with 
them. The wolf calls had ceased. The plain was 
steeped in silence. The Sioux moved forward. 

“If the Pawnees find us, we must ride fast 
toward those trees,” said White Otter. 

“Perhaps the Cheyennes will take us for 
Pawnees, and kill us, ’ ’ Little Raven told him. 

“When we get close we will call out and tell 
them who we are,” replied White Otter. 

They advanced directly toward the timber. 
There was not a sound. The silence aroused their 
suspicions. Were the Pawnees, too, advancing 
toward the grove ? They wondered if a company 
of those crafty foes had dismounted, and were 
creeping quietly forward under cover of the dark- 
130 


A NIGHT OF SURPRISES 

ness. Alert to catch the slightest sound, the three 
daring scouts moved on. When they were near 
the timber they stopped. They felt sure that the 
Cheyennes were watching at the edge of the grove. 
They believed that it would be perilous to go 
nearer without warning them. Still they feared 
to call. They listened for sounds from their 
friends. The grove was silent. 

‘ ‘ Stay here with the ponies, ’ ^ White Otter whis- 
pered. will crawl ahead, and find our friends. 
If the Pawnees come, ride to the trees. 

He left his pony with Sun Bird, and disap- 
peared into the shadows. Realizing that the 
Cheyennes might take him for a foe, he feared to 
make the slightest sound. When he was close 
upon the grove he stopped to listen. The silence 
continued. White Otter dropped to his hands and 
knees and crept still nearer. He was within a 
few bow lengths of the timber. Each moment 
he expected to hear the subdued murmur of voices, 
or the restless stamping of ponies. He heard 
neither. The stillness puzzled him. 

‘^Ho, Cheyennes, I am a Dacotah,’’ he called, 
softly. have come to help you.’’ 

He waited in great suspense. There was no 
reply. Had the Cheyennes failed to hear himf 
131 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Were they unfamiliar with his words! He knew 
that many of the Cheyennes understood and spoke 
the Dacotah dialect. He crept forward until he 
was within leaping distance of the trees. Then 
he repeated his message. Again it went unan- 
swered. 

‘‘It is mysterious/^ he murmured, uneasily. 

WTiile he waited, the cry of the timber wolf 
sounded across the plain. It made him impatient. 
He feared that the Pawnees were preparing to 
charge upon the grove. His fears were strength- 
ened a moment afterward when the cry was 
repeated from another part of the plain. Twice 
more it rang ominously through the night; each 
time from a different direction. White Otter 
believed that the Pawnees were ready to advance. 
There was no time for further caution. He rose, 
and ran recklessly to the edge of the timber. 

“Cheyennes, I am a Dacotah, hold your 
arrows!’’ he cried. 

There was no one there. White Otter hurried 
into the grove, calling the Cheyennes. They 
failed to answer. He circled frantically through 
the timber. The grove was deserted. He was 
overcome with astonishment. For a moment he 
stood staring wildly into the shadows. Then he 
132 


A NIGHT OF SURPRISES 


was roused by the sound of ponies. They were 
close by. He ran to the plain. Sun Bird and 
Little Raven met him. 

‘‘There is no one here — the Cheyennes have 
gone/^ White Otter told them. 

They heard him in amazed silence. The 
announcement overwhelmed them. They had 
expected to find a strong force of Cheyennes 
waiting at the edge of the grove. 

“Well, there is no time to talk about it,^’ Sun 
Bird said, anxiously. “Listen, the Pawnees are 
closing in. That is why we came ahead.’’ 

“Yes, I hear them,” replied White Otter. “If 
we stay here they will surely catch us. We must 
try to get away.” 

“It will be a hard thing to do,” Sun Bird told 
him. “The Pawnees are all around us.” 

They heard the boastful war songs of their foes 
echoing weirdly across the plain. It was evident 
that the Pawnees saw little need of caution. 
Believing that they had trapped the Cheyennes 
in the timber, they were riding boldly forward 
to attack them. For an instant the Sioux forgot 
their peril in their joy at the escape of their 
friends. Then they realized that they had run 
133 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

into the trap from which the Cheyennes had 
apparently escaped. 

‘‘The Pawnees are getting close, we must go/* 
said White Otter. 

“Watch out for scouts,^’ Sun Bird cautioned 
him. 

Once again the Sioux rode carefully across the 
plain. This time they turned directly toward the 
east. They knew that the Pawnees were riding 
to meet them. There seemed little chance of 
avoiding an encounter. The possibilities filled 
them with gloomy misgivings. Once discovered, 
they feared that they would be surrounded and 
speedily annihilated. Still they believed that it 
would have been even more perilous to have taken 
shelter in the grove. Their one chance was to slip 
between the Pawnees in the darkness. 

The Sioux were many arrow flights from the 
timber when they finally stopped to listen. The 
ponies raised their heads. The Sioux drew tightly 
on the lariats to prevent an outcry. Then they 
looked anxiously for their foes. They failed to 
discover them. 

“Watch out, they are close by,’^ whispered 
White Otter. 

Then they heard the Pawnee ponies. They 
134 


A NIGHT OF SURPRISES 

were coming directly toward them. The Sioux 
crowded closely together, and waited. They had 
drawn their arrows, and were prepared to make 
a fierce fight. The moments seemed endless. At 
last they heard the Pawnees talking. An instant 
later a rider confronted them. Before he had 
recovered from his surprise, the Sioux swept him 
aside, and broke through the circle of foes. Lash- 
ing their ponies to desperate speed, they rode 
safely away before the Pawnees recovered from 
their bewilderment. 

‘‘Ride fast!^’ cried White Otter. “Some of 
those warriors will follow us.’’ 

They had not gone an arrow flight before they 
heard a company of Pawnees racing after them. 
Determined to hold their lead, they forced the 
ponies to still greater speed. Then they heard the 
great company of Pawnees thundering toward the 
timber. They chuckled gleefully. 

“They will find out something big,” laughed 
Sun Bird. 

In a few moments the night rang with the shouts 
of the Pawnees. They were attacking the grove. 
The Sioux listened with keen satisfaction. Then 
the noise suddenly subsided. Having encountered 
no resistance, it was apparent that the bewildered 
135 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Pawnees were investigating. As the stillness 
continued, the Sioux felt certain that the Pawnees 
were racing silently about the plain in an effort 
to find their foes. 

‘‘Now we must fool those warriors behind us,’’ 
said White Otter. 

He turned sharply toward the north. Then 
they listened to learn if the Pawnees had followed 
them. Their hearts filled with joy as they heard 
them racing away toward the east. 

“We are safe!” Little Raven cried, joyously. 

“Yes, we got away from them,” said WTiite 
Otter. 


CHAPTER XII 


FBIENDS 

H AVTNGt eluded their pursuers, the Sioux 
drew the ponies to an easy canter and con- 
tinued toward the north. They heard the Pawnees 
signaling far away across the plain. They were 
still searching for the. Cheyennes. The Sioux 
wondered how the latter had escaped, and which 
way they had gone. 

^‘It is mysterious,’’ declared White Otter, 
do not know how they got away, but I believe 
they are ahead of us,” said Sun Bird. ‘‘The 
Pawnees found the buffaloes and chased them off. 
The Cheyennes know about it. I do not believe 
they will stay in this place. I believe they will 
go to their people.” 

“Well, we must keep going ahead,” said White 
Otter. “When it gets light the Pawnees will begin 
to look around. If we stay here they will find us. 
We did not find the Cheyennes, but we must go 
away. It is bad. ’ ’ 

They continued to ride until the night was half 
137 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

gone, and ihen they stopped beside a little stream 
to rest the ponies. They believed that the Pawnees 
were far behind them, but they determined to take 
precautions. They took turns at watching until 
daylight. Then they looked anxiously across the 
plain for signs of their foes. They were nowhere 
in sight. 

‘‘It is good,^^ declared Sun Bird. “Now we 
will go to the Cheyenne camp. Perhaps we will 
find our brothers there. ’ ^ 

White Otter kept silent. He was troubled and 
depressed. His mind was filled with thoughts of 
Red Dog and his gallant little company. Having 
failed to bring the hunters to their assistance, 
White Otter had grave fears for their safety. 

‘ ‘ Come, eat some of this meat, and then we will 
ride away,’’ he told his companions. 

While the ponies grazed, the Sioux ate heartily 
of the dried elk meat w^hich Red Dog had 
given them. As they sat beside the stream they 
continued to watch the plain. They were about 
to ride away when White Otter discovered some- 
thing moving along the top of a hill to the west- 
ward. 

“Watch sharp, there is something over there,” 
he said, suspiciously. 


138 


FRIENDS 


It was some moments before his companions 
discovered the distant object. Then they saw it 
moving slowly down the side of the ridge. They 
tried to identify it. 

‘‘It looks like Ma-ya-sh, the wolf/^ said Sun 
Bird. 

‘ ‘ Perhaps it is a scout, ^ ’ suggested Little Raven. 

“I believe it is Ma-ya-sh, White Otter told 
them. ‘ ‘ See, it is moving down that hill. It does 
not see us. If it was a scout he would know about 
us. Then he would hide behind that hill and 
watch. I believe it is Ma-ya-sh.’’ 

“Yes, I believe it is Ma-ya-sh,” said Sun Bird. 
“Now we know that there is no one over there. 
If the Pawnees were over there Ma-ya-sh would 
not show himself. ’ ’ 

“It is true,” replied White Otter. 

Convinced that the object moving along the 
ridge really was a prairie wolf, they mounted the 
ponies and continued into the north. Hopeful 
that the Cheyenne hunters had preceded them, 
they determined to separate to search for the 
trail. Sun Bird rode farther to the westward, 
and Little Raven circled toward the east. As the 
plain was level, it was easy to keep within sight 
of one another. 


139 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

The day was well advanced when White Otter 
saw Sun Bird riding in a circle. It was the danger 
signal, and White Otter immediately stopped. 
Then he, too, rode in a circle to warn Little Raven. 
When the latter saw him, White Otter galloped 
his pony toward Sun Bird. Little Raven also 
rode toward the west. 

‘‘What did you seef^^ White Otter inquired, 
anxiously, as he approached the Minneconjoux. 

“Here are fresh pony tracks,’^ Sun Bird told 
him. 

The trail had come from the westward, and 
turned abruptly toward the north. It showed the 
hoof marks of many ponies. For some moments 
they studied it in silence. 

“It must be the Cheyennes,” Sun Bird said, 
finally. 

“Yes, I believe those are the marks of the 
Cheyenne ponies, ’ ^ replied White Otter. 

“What is it?” inquired Little Raven, who 
joined them at that moment. 

“Here are the marks of some ponies,” White 
Otter told him. 

“I believe it is the trail of our brothers, the 
Cheyennes,” said Little Raven. 

“We are not sure about it,” White Otter told 
140 


FRIENDS 


him. ^‘Perhaps it is the Pawnees. Perhaps they 
passed by us when it was dark. Perhaps they 
circled over here and went ahead to catch the 
Cheyennes. We must not let them fool us again. 
We will watch out.’’ 

‘^You are a good leader,” declared Sun Bird. 
‘‘I see that what you say may be true. Yes, we 
will be cautious.” 

They rode rapidly along the trail. It was plain 
and easy to follow. They had not gone far, how- 
ever, when they saw something which brought 
them to a sudden stop. A riderless pony had 
appeared on a knoll directly ahead of them. They 
watched suspiciously. At sight of them the pony 
raised its head and whinnied. Then it began to 
, feed. It moved in an awkward and unnatural 
manner that aroused their fears. 

‘‘I believe some one is hiding behind that 
pony,” declared White Otter. 

‘‘If he is a scout why did he go up on that high 
place?” Little Raven asked, curiously. “If he 
kept hiding we would not know about him. ’ ’ 

“Perhaps he was coming down that hill before 
we saw him,” said White Otter. “Then he saw 
us and hid behind his pony. Now he is trying to 
lead it over the top of that hill.” 

141 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘^Yes, I believe that is wbat he is trying to do,’’ 
declared Sun Bird. 

The pony was still feeding, and moving slowly 
toward the top of the hill. They felt sure that it 
was guided by some one behind it. It was far 
beyond arrow range. As they were in no danger, 
the Sioux waited to watch it. 

‘^Perhaps it is a Cheyenne,’’ said Sun Bird. 
‘^Come, White Otter, make the signal.” 

At that moment a warrior sprang upon the 
pony, and disappeared over the top of the hill. 
The Sioux had been unable to identify him. His 
appearance, however, caused them considerable 
anxiety. They realized that if he was a Cheyenne 
he had probably mistaken them for foes. In that 
event he would warn his companions, and they 
might race away before the Sioux could get in 
touch with them. If he was a Pawnee the possi- 
bilities were more alarming. 

‘^It is bad,” said Sun Bird. ‘‘If we go ahead, 
perhaps we will run into the Pawnees. If we 
hold back perhaps our brothers, the Cheyennes, 
will ride away from us.” 

“We will go ahead,” said White Otter. 

They approached the hill with great care. They 
watched closely before they ventured up the slope. 

142 


FRIENDS 


When they reached the top they saw a large com- 
pany of horsemen, far away across the plain. 
They appeared to be watching the hill. The Sioux 
believed the scout had warned them. 

^ ‘ Come, make the signal, ^ ^ said Sun Bird. ‘ ‘ We 
will see what comes of it.’’ 

‘‘Yes, make the signal,” urged Little Raven. 
“I believe they are Cheyennes.” 

White Otter raised his hands high above his 
head. It was the sign for peace. He repeated 
the signal several times. Then he rode his pony 
part way down the hill, and returned to the top. 
In the meantime Sun Bird had waved his robe 
up and down, and then spread it upon the ground. 
He, too, repeated the signal. It was an invitation 
to come and talk. Having thus proclaimed their 
peaceful intentions, and invited the strangers to 
meet them, the Sioux watched for an answer to 
the signals. The horsemen made no reply. 

“They are cautious,” said Sun Bird. “Per- 
haps they take us for Pawnees.” 

“Perhaps it is the Pawnees after all,” declared 
Little Raven. 

“Well, they are far away, they cannot catch 
us, ’ ’ White Otter told them. “We will go toward 
143 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

them. Then we will see what they propose to 
do.’’ 

They rode a bowshot across the plain. Then 
they stopped and repeated the signals. In a few 
moments a rider separated from his companions, 
and replied to the signs.. He raised his hands 
above his head. Then he suddenly swept his right 
hand toward the ground. It, too, was an invita- 
tion to approach and talk. 

^ ^ They are trying to draw us over there, ’ ’ said 
Sun Bird. ‘‘No, we are not so foolish. We will 
wait until we see who they are. ’ ’ 

“It is the only thing to do,” agreed White 
Otter. 

Having previously mistaken the Pawnees for 
the Cheyennes, the Sioux determined to be careful. 
Sun Bird dismounted and again signaled with 
his robe. Then they waited. Many moments 
passed before they received an answer. Then 
three riders started slowly across the plain. 

“It is too many, watch out,” cautioned White 
Otter. “Come, we will tell them what to do. 
Follow me. ’ ’ 

The Sioux rode forward abreast. When they 
had gone a short distance, they turned and rode 
back. Then White Otter rode forward alone. 

144 


FRIENDS 


The signal was meant to warn the approaching 
horsemen that one only must come to the council. 
The strangers, however, ignored the suggestion. 
All three continued toward the Sioux. White 
Otter turned and cantered toward his friends. 

‘^Come,’’ he said. believe those people are 
trying to fool us.’’ 

They rode back toward the hill. Their action 
made it plain that they mistrusted the intentions 
of the strangers. The latter seemed to under- 
stand. They had stopped, and were holding their 
hands above their heads to proclaim their peace- 
ful intentions. The Sioux continued toward the 
hill. Then two of the horsemen turned about, and 
cantered toward their companions. The third 
rider still waited with his hands raised. 

‘^It is good,” cried White Otter. ‘‘I will go 
and find out who he is.” 

‘‘Be cautious,” Sun Bird warned him. 

‘ ‘ I will watch out, ’ ’ declared White Otter. 

He turned his pony, and rode toward the 
stranger. The latter immediately lowered his 
arms. Sun Bird and Little Raven watched anx- 
iously. White Otter advanced with great caution. 
He was making every effort to identify the horse- 
man before he came within arrow range. Neither 
145 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


of them had drawn their weapons. To have 
approached weapons in hand would have been 
evidence of suspicion and lack of faith. When 
they finally came within bow range, they stopped 
and examined each other with close attention. 
Then White Otter suddenly recognized a friend. 

‘‘Ho, Running Crow, now I see who you are,’’ 
he cried, eagerly. 

“Hi, hi, it is my brother. White Otter,” shouted 
the Cheyenne. 

A moment afterward they met and clasped 
hands. The Cheyenne was a noted warrior and 
scout with whom White Otter had shared several 
perilous adventures. Aware that White Otter 
had found a friend. Sun Bird and Little Raven 
immediately rode forward to join them. 

“Ho, my brothers. Running Crow cried cor- 
dially. “I see that one of you is Sun Bird. I do 
not know about that other warrior.” 

“He is my brother. Little Raven,” said Sun 
Bird. “Little Raven is a great warrior.” 

“My brothers, how do you come to be in this 
place?” Running Crow inquired, anxiously. 

“Red Dog sent us to find you,” WTiite Otter 
said, soberly. 


146 


FRIENDS 


^^Has sometliing bad happened to our people?’^ 
Running Crow asked quickly. 

‘‘The Kiowas were all around the camp/^ said 
White Otter. “It was a great war party. I 
believe your people are in much danger. ^ ’ 

The Cheyenne remained silent. For some 
moments he stared wildly into the eyes of the 
Ogalala. The Sioux watched him with pity. 
They knew that he was striving to master his 
grief before he spoke. 

“When did you leave my people?’’ he asked, 
finally. 

“Two suns have passed since we came away 
from your village,” White Otter told him. 

“It is bad, it is bad,” Running Crow declared 
gloomily. ‘ ‘ Come, we will go and tell my brothers 
about it. ” 

“Who is the leader?” inquired Sun Bird, as 
they rode toward the Cheyennes. 

“I am the leader,” said Running Crow. 

The Sioux found many old friends and allies 
among the Cheyennes. There was Red Crane, 
and Turns Around, and Black Beaver, and Sitting 
Bear and Fighting Wolf and several more. Some 
were unable to speak the Dacotah dialect, but they 
clasped hands with the young scouts and made it 
147 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

plain that they were glad to see them. Then 
Running Crow addressed his warriors. 

‘‘My brothers, I have bad words, he said. 
‘ ‘ There is little time to talk. Listen sharp. These 
brave Dacotahs came here to find us. Red Dog 
sent them. The Kiowas were all around our 
village. They say it was a great war party. Two 
suns have passed since the Dacotahs came away. 
I do not know what has happened to our people. 
Perhaps the Kiowas have killed them. Come, my 
brothers, we must ride fast to the camp.’’ 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

E arly the following day the Cheyennes came 
in sight of their village. They looked anx- 
iously across the plain, hoping to see something 
which would quiet their fears. They were a long 
way otf, however, and it was impossible to learn 
what they wished to know. They rode furiously 
toward the lodges. As they approached they 
began to shout fiercely, and look for the Kiowas. 
There was no response from the camp. 

‘Ht is bad,^^ Running Crow cried, in alarm. 
When they finally came within bowshot, they 
suddenly realized that the villag? was deserted. 
Their hopes died at the thought. They rode 
frantically to the edge of the camp. It bore grim 
testimony to the success of the Kiowa attack. 
The corral was empty. Many of the lodges were 
burned. Still, silent forms lay about the village. 
A dog howled dismally. 

‘‘Our people have been wiped away,” Running 
Crow cried, dolefully, as he rode his frightened 
pony into the camp. 


149 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

The Cheyennes followed silently behind their 
leader. They looked solemnly upon the valiant 
friends who had given their lives in defense of 
the village. Grief overcame them. They were 
unable to speak. 

‘‘It is bad, it is bad,’’ White Otter said, bitterly. 
“What I was thinking about has come to pass. 
Red Dog and his people have been killed. ’ ’ 

The Sioux moved about the camp with bowed 
heads. It was a scene which stirred their sym- 
pathy and filled them with gloom. Many of the 
Cheyennes had dismounted, and were entering the 
lodges which had escaped the flames. It was evi- 
dent that they were searching for friends and 
relatives whom they had failed to find in the camp. 
Other riders were searching about the plain in 
the vicinity of the village. Then Running Crow 
suddenly called them to the center of the camp. 

“My brothers, a terrible thing has happened 
to our people,” he said. “The ponies are gone. 
The lodges are burned. Many brave friends are 
dead. Our enemies, the Kiowas, have done this 
thing! Remember it. Keep it in your hearts. 
Keep thinking about it. It is useless to talk 
about it. You are Cheyennes. You see what I 
see. You feel what I feel. It is enough. 

150 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

^ ‘ My brothers, listen sharp. Many brave war- 
riors are lying here, but many of onr people are 
missing. Where are the women? WTiere are the 
children? Where is Red Dog? Wliere is Ghost 
Bear? Wliere are Cloud Eagle, and Two Dogs, 
and Walks Alone, and Hairy Robe and Lame 
Bear? Wliere are Painted Weasel, and Running 
Buffalo, and Thunder Hawk and Wliite Horse? 

What has become of those people? 

will tell you!’’ cried a voice from the edge 
of the camp. 

The Cheyennes turned in alarm. Old Ghost 
Bear, the Medicine Man, was tottering into the 
village. They gazed upon him with frightened, 
superstitious eyes. He looked like one who was 
dead. He stood before them, swaying dizzily, 
and holding his hand across his eyes. The Chey- 
ennes waited silently for him to speak. It was 
some moments before he was able to control him- 
self. 

‘ ‘ Cheyennes, Cheyennes, Cheyennes, look about 
you!” he cried. ^‘Everything has been wiped 
away. The Kiowas were too strong for us. We 
held them off a long time. We waited for you. 
You did not come. Then the Kiowas got into the 
village. We fought hard, but we could not drive 
151 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


them out. They killed many of our people. They 
ran off the ponies. They burned the lodges.’’ 

Ghost Bear suddenly covered his face with his 
hands, while his aged body shook with grief. The 
Cheyennes looked upon him with compassion. It 
was the first time they had seen him betray emo- 
tion, and they realized that the great catastrophe 
had broken his heart. They feared he was about 
to die. He had dropped to his knees, and was 
moaning and sobbing like a child. Running Crow 
went forward and placed his hand upon him. 
Ghost Bear dropped his hands, and looked wildly 
at his tribesman. 

‘‘Come,” said Running Crow. “You are a 
great Medicine Person. You must help us. Tell 
us what has become of the women and children. 
Tell us what has become of Red Bog. Tell us 
what has become of all those warriors.” 

“Yes, yes, I will tell you about it,” said Ghost 
Bear, as he struggled to his feet. 

He gave a thrilling account of the desperate 
battle with the Kiowas. The Cheyennes listened 
with breathless interest. Their eyes flashed as 
he told how Red Bog got the women and children 
safely out of the camp. Then he told how the 
Kiowas had entered the village, and speedily over- 
152 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

whelmed the little company of Cheyennes. He 
said that some of the Cheyennes reached the 
ponies, and f ought their way from the camp. He 
saw Eed Dog kill two Kiowas. 

‘‘Then I ran away, and I do not know what 
became of Eed Dog and those brave warriors,^’ 
Ghost Bear continued. “Perhaps they were 
killed. I ran a long ways. Then I crawled into 
some bushes. It was very dark, and the Kiowas 
could not find me. I heard them passing around 
me many times. Then they went away I heard 
them running oif the ponies, and singing the war 
songs. Pretty soon I saw the lodges burning. 
I felt very bad. Well, my brothers, I waited in 
those bushes until you came here. At first I took 
you for the Kiowas. I wanted to die, so I came 
to the village. Then I saw you. Now I have told 
you all I know about it. ’ ^ 

“Ghost Bear, you have told us how this thing 
happened, ’ ’ said Eunning Crow. “You have told 
how the women and children got away. It is 
good. You say you do not know what became of 
Eed Dog and those warriors. We will try to find 
out about them.’’ 

Eunning Crow called several warriors^ and told 
them to circle far out over the plain in a search 
153 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

for the missing Cheyennes. He feared that they 
might have been killed beyond the camp. The 
scouts rode away. The Cheyennes watched them 
closely, as they rode carefully about the plain. It 
was a long time before they returned. They said 
that they had found the tracks of many ponies 
going toward the north. They declared that there 
were no dead Cheyennes outside of the camp. 

‘ ‘ It is good, ^ ’ cried Running Crow. ‘ ^ I believe 
our brothers got away. Perhaps they have gone 
into the country of the Ogalalas. I believe Red 
Dog went with them.’’ 

As he finished speaking, a warrior at the edge 
of the camp cried out and said that several riders 
were approaching from the north. The Chey- 
ennes hurried from the village to see them. The 
riders instantly discovered them, and stopped the 
ponies. There were three. They were far away. 

‘‘I believe they are our people,” Running Crow 
declared, excitedly. ‘‘They are coming back to 
find out about this thing. Come, we must let them 
know who we are.” 

One of the warriors rode forward and raised 
his arm high above his head. Then he rode rap- 
idly to and fro. It was the rallying signal. A 
moment afterward the riders galloped forward. 

154 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

As they came nearer, they again became cautions. 
Then the Cheyennes began to call to them. They 
heard them, and raced the ponies toward the 
camp. As they came within arrow range, the 
Cheyennes recognized them. They were Painted 
Weasel, and Thunder Hawk and White Horse. 

‘‘Our brothers have come back — ^it is good,’^ 
cried the Cheyennes. “Now we will find out 
about this thing. ’ ’ 

“Well, my brothers, I see that you are alive — it 
is good,^’ said Eunning Crow, as he met them at 
the edge of the camp. 

“There are only a few of us left,’’ Painted 
Weasel replied, soberly. 

“Where are the warriors who were with you?’^ 
inquired Running Crow. 

“They are following our people toward the 
lodges of the Ogalalas,” Painted Weasel told him. 

“Is Red Dog with them?” Running Crow asked^ 
anxiously. 

“No,” said Painted Weasel. “We do not know 
what became of him. We came back here to find 
out about it. He was with us when we were fight- 
ing to get away. He was very brave. I saw him 
kill two Kiowas.” 


155 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


‘‘Yes, yes, I saw him kill them,’’ cried old Ghost 
Bear. 

“What became of him?” Painted Weasel asked 
him. 

“I cannot tell yon that,” said Ghost Bear. “I 
ran ont of the village, and did not see any more 
of him.” 

“I was close beside him,” declared Thunder 
Hawk. “Then the Kiowas rushed at me, and I 
had a hard time of it. When I looked around I 
did not see anything more of Red Bog. Then I 
heard my brothers riding away I went after 
them. I thought Red Bog was with them. Well, 
my brothers, he was not there. No one knew any- 
thing about him.” 

“Perhaps he was killed,” said White Horse. 
“Bid you look all around?” 

“Yes, we looked sharp,” Running Crow told 
him. “We did not find him.” 

‘ ‘ Then I believe the Kiowas must have carried 
him off,” said Painted Weasel. 

The Cheyennes were crushed by the possibility. 
Bismay kept them silent. They knew only too 
well the fate that awaited Red Bog if he had fallen 
into the hands of his enemies. Their courage rose 
156 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

at thought of his peril. They determined to save 
him, or avenge his death. 

^‘Yes, my brothers, I believe the Kiowas have 
carried off Red Hog,’^ "White Horse told them. 
‘‘We must try to save him. There is only one 
thing to do. We must go to the Kiowa Camp, and 
try to take him away.” 

“My brothers, I have listened to your words — 
they are good,” said Running Crow. “I believe 
the Kiowas caught Red Dog. It is bad. He is 
our chief. He has done many good things for his 
people. We must try to help him. Now I will 
tell you how I feel about it. White Otter is a 
great war chief of the Ogalalas. He has done 
many big things. He has helped us fight the 
Pawnees. He has helped us fight the Kiowas. 
We know that he is a good war leader. .He has 
been to the Pawnee village. He took away the 
great chief Wolf Robe and that great Medicine 
Person, Yellow Horse. He has been to the Kiowa 
camp. He went into that camp and ran off ponies. 
White Otter knows how to do big things. My 
brothers, I am going to ask this great Ogalala 
war chief to lead us to the Kiowa camp. ^ ^ 

“It is good!” cried the Cheyennes. “White 
Otter is a great chief. He must be the leader.” 
157 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


‘ ‘ Come, White Otter, tell us how you feel about 
it,^’ said Running Crow. 

‘‘My brothers, I will lead you to the Kiowa 
camp,’’ White Otter told them. “Your people 
are my friends. We came here to help you. The 
Kiowas are our enemies. They have killed many 
of your people. They have burned your lodges. 
They have run off your ponies. I believe they 
have carried away your chief. Red Dog is my 
friend. My heart is bad against the Kiowas. I 
am going to the Kaowa camp to find out about 
Red Dog. Yes, Cheyennes, I will lead you to fight 
our enemies. I believe my people will come to 
help us.” 

‘ ‘ Hi, hi ! ” cried Running Crow. 

When they learned that the Ogalala would lead 
them against the Kiowas, the Cheyennes felt sure 
of victory. They had great confidence in his 
ability, for his exploits had made him famous. 
For the moment they forgot their grief, as they 
thrilled at the call of the war trail. Their hearts 
burned with a fierce desire for vengeance, and 
they believed that White Otter would give them 
an opportunity to retaliate upon their foes. The 
thought stirred them. They began to sing the 
war songs, and make savage threats against the 
158 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

Kiowas. Some of the younger warriors began to 
dance. The village rang with their shouts. The 
older men soon yielded to the excitement. In a 
few moments the entire company joined in the 
wild antics of the war dance. 

White Otter took no part. He, too, longed to 
shout, and sing, and dance and make fierce threats 
against his foes, but he realized that it was not 
the part of a great chief to yield to his emotions. 
Sun Bird and Little Haven, however, took a prom- 
inent part in the dance. White Otter heard their 
voices rising in the fierce Dacotah war cry, and 
his blood tingled at the sound. 

Then the Cheyennes finally brought the wild 
ceremony to an end, and stood quietly beside their 
ponies, awaiting instruction from the Ogalala 
chief. White Otter looked upon them with admir- 
ation. They were a splendid body of warriors, 
and he was proud to command them. Tall and 
sinewy, their stem faces and flashing eyes pro- 
claimed their courage. They compared favorably 
with the famous Dacotah fighting men, and having 
seen them in battle White Otter knew that they 
were equally bold and indomitable. 

^‘Cheyennes, I see that you are ready, said 
White Otter. ‘‘It is good. You have made me the 
159 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

leader. I wiU tell you how I feel about this thing. 
I believe my people will come here to help us. 
Some of you must stay here to watch for them. 
Then you must bring them to the Kiowa camp. 
The rest of us will go ahead to fight the Kiowas. 
Their village is two sun’s travel away. They have 
reached their lodges. We must follow them to 
their camp. When we get there I will tell you 
what to do. I have finished. ” 

As Running Crow translated the words, White 
Otter saw disappointment on the faces of the 
Cheyennes. They began to talk softly to one 
another. He knew at once that they were dis- 
cussing who should be left behind to watch. Each 
hoped to avoid the task. All wished to fight the 
Kiowas. Then Ghost Bear suddenly offered a 
solution of the difficulty. 

^ ‘ Listen, my brothers, ’ ’ he cried, eagerly. ‘ ‘ All 
of you are young men. A young man must fight. 
I am old. I cannot ride the war ponies. I will 
stay here and watch for the Ogalalas. If they 
come I will tell them where to find you.” 

‘Hf you stay here alone, perhaps something bad 
will happen to you,” Running Crow told him. 

‘‘No, no, nothing will happen to me,” Ghost 
Bear assured him. “I will put away those brave 
160 


THE ABANDONED CAMP 

warriors who are lying here. Then I will wait for 
the Ogalalas. There is meat here. The Kiowas 
did not find it. I will have plenty to eat. I am 
a Medicine Person, nothing can harm me. If 
enemies come here, I will run away and hide in 
the bushes. Gome, my brothers, ride away and 
leave me. There is little time.^’ 

‘‘Ghost Bear, you are very brave,’’ declared 
White Otter, when Running Crow told him of the 
old Medicine Man’s proposal. 

A few moments later the Cheyenne war party 
left the camp. They rode across the plain, sing- 
ing their war songs, and old Ghost Bear cackled 
gleefully as he heard them. He watched until 
they were beyond range of his dim old eyes. Then 
he moved slowly into the village. He stopped and 
gazed sadly upon the forms of his friends. 

“Listen, you Silent People,” he cried. “The 
Kiowas have sent you on The Long Trail. You 
were very brave. Our people will talk about you 
a long time. Now our brothers have gone to kill 
many Kiowas. White Otter, the great war chief 
of the Ogalalas, is the leader. Soon you will hear 
a great noise. You will know it is the Kiowas. 
They will cry like women when our brothers begin 
to kill them. Then you must laugh at them.” 

161 


CHAPTEE XIV 


IN’ PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 

T he Kiowa trail was easy to follow, for the 
great herd of ponies had left many tracks. 
White Otter felt sure that the Kiowas would lose 
little time in getting to their camp. The trail 
confirmed his decision. It led toward the south- 
east, the direction of the Kiowa village. White 
Otter believed that it would be useless to attempt 
to overtake his foes. Some of the younger, more 
impulsive warriors were eager to race ahead, but 
White Otter held them back. 

^Ht is useless to kill your ponies,’’ he told them. 
^‘The Kiowas have reached their lodges.” 

When they had passed beyond sight of the 
Cheyenne village, he began to take precautions. 
Two possibilities suggested themselves. He real- 
ized that the Kiowas might have expected pursuit 
and left scouts behind to watch their trail. He 
also knew that the Pawnees were abroad, and he 
feared that they might have followed the trail 
of the Cheyenne hunters. He sent scouts to ride 
ahead and on both sides of the war party. 

162 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 

‘‘If you see anything, tell us about it/’ he told 
them. 

Then the war party continued across the plain. 
White Otter realized that while his force was 
large enough for a sudden attack against the 
Kiowa camp, it was not sufficiently strong to risk 
a fight in the open. Besides, he hoped to accom- 
plish his purpose without bringing further loss 
upon the Cheyennes. 

The day passed without alarm Toward sun- 
set they saw one of the scouts returning. 
They believed he had discovered something. 
White Otter called Running Crow to act as inter- 
preter. 

“He says he saw some buffaloes over there,” 
said Running Crow, as he pointed toward the 
south. 

“Then I believe the Pawnees are near,” WRite 
Otter told him. “We must watch out for them. 
Tell your brother to go back there, and keep 
watching. Tell him when it gets dark to come to 
the place where many trees grow. He will find us 
there.” 

Running Crow repeated the iastructions, and 
the scout rode away. It was not long before one 
163 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

of the scouts who was riding in advance came 
back. He was a warrior named Standing Bull, 
who spoke the Sioux dialect. 

“We looked sharp but we did not see anything, 
he told White Otter. “Sitting Bear and Black 
Beaver are riding ahead. I came back to find out 
where to find you when it gets dark.’’ 

“You will find us at the place where many trees 
grow, ’ ’ White Otter told him. ‘ ‘ Do you know that 
place?” 

“Yes, I know it,” said Standing Bull. “There 
is good water there.” 

He rode ahead to join his companions. He had 
barely gone before one of the other scouts joined 
the war party. He, too, reported that he had seen 
nothing to arouse suspicion. When he learned 
where the Cheyennes planned to spend the night 
he rode away. 

“It is good,” said Running Crow, who rode 
beside White Otter. “Our brothers have seen 
nothing but some butf aloes.” 

“Perhaps those buffaloes will bring the Paw- 
nees, ’ ’ replied White Otter. 

“No, my brother, I do not believe we will see 
the Wolf People,” Running Crow told him. 
“They have killed many buffaloes. They have 
164 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 

plenty of meat. I believe they will take it to their 
people. ^ ’ 

Shortly afterward they came in sight of a large 
grove of aspens. It was a familiar camp site, and 
White Otter had been there before. As they drew 
near the timber they stopped, while scouts went 
forward to investigate. They rode cautiously 
about the grove to make sure that it was free of 
foes. The Cheyennes watched closely. They 
realized that it offered a tempting hiding place 
to Kiowa scouts. One of the riders finally disap- 
peared into the timber. A few moments afterward 
he signaled the war party to advance. 

^ ‘ The way is clear, ’ ’ said Running Crow. 

When the Cheyennes entered the grove the 
scouts showed them a number of fresh pony 
tracks. White Otter examined them with much 
interest. They seemed to cause him considerable 
uneasiness. 

‘‘Well, my brother, how do you feel about those 
tracks r’ Sun Bird asked him. 

‘ ‘ It looks bad, ’ ^ said White Otter. ‘ ‘ There were 
three ponies in this place. It was not long ago. 
Perhaps it was Kiowa scouts. Perhaps they saw 
us coming here. Perhaps they have gone to tell 
their people about it. We must watch out.^’ 

165 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


the Kiowas come here the scouts will tell us 
about it/^ said Running Crow. 

^‘Yes, that is true,’^ replied White Otter. 
^‘But some one must keep watching out there on 
the plain. The Kiowas are sharp. Perhaps they 
will creep past the scouts. 

Several warriors offered to go out on the plain 
to watch. Then the Cheyennes picketed their 
ponies, and lay down to rest. For two days they 
had ridden hard, and they were tired and sore. 

White Otter, I have something bad to tell 
you,’’ Sun Bird said, as he seated himself beside 
the Ogalala. 

White Otter turned inquiringly. 

‘‘The Kiowas took away our ponies,” said Sun 
Bird. “Painted Weasel told me about it. Run- 
ning Buffalo found Little Raven’s pony, but our 
ponies are with the Kiowas.” 

“Hi, that is bad,” cried White Otter. “Well, I 
will get back my pony. Curly Horse, your chief, 
gave it to me. I will not let it go. It is the fastest 
pony I ever rode. Yes, I will take it away from 
the Kiowas.” 

“We will get them back,” Sun Bird declared, 
confidently. “My pony is very fast. I will not 
let the Kiowas keep it.” 


166 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 


The loss of the ponies saddened them. White 
Otter felt sure that neither friend nor foe owned 
a pony with the speed and endurance of the little 
piebald which he had received from the Minne- 
conjoux chief. Sun Bird was equally attached to 
the little roan. It had beaten most of the ponies 
in the Minneconjoux camp, and had carried him 
to safety in several thrilling escapes from his 
foes. 

^‘How did the Kiowas get those ponies U’ White 
Otter asked, suddenly. 

‘‘Painted Weasel says that all the war ponies 
were in the camp,’^ said Sun Bird. “When the 
Kiowas ran into the village, the Cheyennes ran 
to get the ponies. They had a big fight. The 
Kiowas got many of those ponies. Our ponies 
were with those ponies they took away.’’ 

The sun had disappeared, and the twilight 
shadows were forming on the plain. Many of the 
Cheyennes were asleep. The ponies had finished 
feeding, and most of them were lying down. The 
camp was in peaceful repose. White Otter looked 
on with satisfaction. 

“It is good,” he said. “The Cheyennes and 
their ponies are resting. They will be strong to 
fight.” 


167 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Then, as night closed down, White Otter left 
his companions and seated himself at the edge 
of the grove. He was serious and thoughtful. He 
suddenly realized his responsibility. The Chey- 
ennes had placed themselves under his leadership. 
They were depending upon him to save their chief. 
He knew the difficulties and perils which were 
before him. He wondered if he would be able to 
overcome them. For a moment he felt doubtful. 
Would he fail? Would he bring another stagger- 
ing disaster upon the unfortunate Cheyemies ? He 
grew weak at the thought. Then he realized that 
he was yielding to fear. The idea roused him. 
He felt ashamed. He rallied from the mood. 
He recalled that he had overcome the Kiowas 
under still greater difficulties. It restored his 
confidence. His courage returned. He laughed 
away his fears. 

am an Ogalala,’^ he said, proudly. ‘‘I will 
do what I have set out to do. ’ ’ 

He rose, and turned his face toward the heavens. 
He asked Wa-kan-tun-ka, the Great Mystery, to 
give him strength and courage to overcome his 
enemies. Then he returned to his friends. He 
found Sun Bird and Little Raven asleep. Run- 
168 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 


ning Crow was seated a short distance away. 
White Otter joined him. 

‘‘My brother, why are you awake T’ White 
Otter asked. “I am the leader. I will watch. 
Come, Running Crow, lie down and sleep. ’ ’ 

“No, I cannot sleep, Running Crow told him. 
“My heart is heavy. I am thinking about my 
people. I am thinking about my friends who were 
killed by the Kiowas. I am thinking about Red 
Dog. Perhaps the Kiowas have killed him.^^ 

White Otter remained silent. The words of 
Running Crow revived his fears. He knew the 
bitter enmity between the Kiowas and the Chey- 
ennes, and he feared that Red Dog might have 
been killed soon after entering the camp. Running 
Crow seemed to understand the significance of 
his silence. 

“I see that you believe Red Dog is dead,’’ Run- 
ning Crow said, sharply. 

“No, I do not believe it,” White Otter told him. 
“We cannot tell about it until we get to the Kiowa 
camp. I ” 

He ceased speaking. A pony had called, close 
at hand. Running Crow sprang to his feet. The 
Cheyennes sat up to listen. White Otter stared 
anxiously into the night. 

169 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

is one of the scouts,’^ said Running Crow. 

Watch/’ White Otter cautioned him. 

For some moments all was still. Then they 
heard some one riding toward them. They had 
little doubt that it was a scout, but they were 
cautious. The Cheyennes had risen and moved to 
the edge of the grove. The rider had stopped. 
They became suspicious. They waited anxiously 
for a signal. At last it came. 

‘‘Do not be afraid, my brothers,” said a 
familiar voice. 

A moment later Fighting Wolf, one of the 
scouts, appeared out of the darkness. Running 
Crow began to talk with him. The Cheyennes 
listened eagerly. The Sioux, however, were 
unable to understand his words. 

“Fighting Wolf says that he heard the call of 
the great gray wolf,” Running Crow told White 
Otter. “It was far away.” 

‘ ‘ The Pawnees made that call, ’ ’ declared White 
Otter. “We will be cautious.” 

At dawn the scouts returned to the grove. With 
the exception of Fighting Wolf and his com- 
panions who had heard the wolf call, they declared 
that the night had passed without alarm. White 
Otter felt considerably encouraged. He believed 
that the Kiowas had failed to guard their trail. 

170 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 

It was evident that they had little fear of being* 
overtaken before they reached their camp. 

“I believe they will keep a sharp watch around 
their village, ^ ’ White Otter told Running Crow. 

The sun had not appeared when the war party 
left the grove and cantered away toward the 
Eaowa camp. White Otter asked Running Crow 
to select the most expert warriors to ride in 
advance, as he believed there was great danger 
of encountering Kiowa scouts. When half of the 
day had passed. White Otter began to notice, 
familiar landmarks which told him that he waa 
approaching the vicinity of the Kiowa camp. He 
became more cautious. 

‘‘We are getting close to our enemies,’’ he told 
Running Crow. 

Soon afterward they saw the famous scout,. 
Painted Weasel, racing toward them. White Otter 
immediately called a halt. They watched the scout 
with considerable anxiety. He was lashing his 
pony, and pointing behind him. 

“Perhaps the Kiowas are coming,” they told 
one another. 

When Painted Weasel came within shouting- 
distance he called out to White Otter in the Sioux 
tongue. 


171 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


‘‘So-ta, so-ta!^^ he cried. 

^‘Painted Weasel says smoke/ ^ White Otter 
told them. 

brother, we saw some smoke a long way 
ahead of ns,’’ Painted Weasel said, excitedly. 
“We were peeping over the top of a hill. We 
saw many trees. We were watching sharp. Then 
I saw that smoke. I believe the Kiowa camp is 
over there. I came to tell you about it. ’ ’ 

“Yes, it is true,” White Otter told him. “The 
camp is in that place. I know about it. Where 
are your brothers?” 

^ ^ Standing Bull and Red Crane are watching. ’ ’ 

“It is good,” said White Otter. “Running 
Crow, tell your people about it.” 

The Cheyennes became greatly excited. Almost 
within sight of the Kiowa camp, they were eager 
to approach and begin the fight. Some of the 
warriors proposed riding back to the ridge with 
Painted Weasel to reconnoiter. White Otter kept 
them back. 

“Cheyennes, you have made me the leader,” he 
cried. “You must do as I tell you. Now listen 
to my words. Red Dog your chief is in that camp. 
If you let the Kiowas know that we are here, Red 
Dog will he killed. There is onlv one way to do 
172 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 

this thing. We must hide until it gets dark. Then 
some of us will go ahead and try to find out 
something. There is a gully over there toward the 
Place-where-the-warm-wind-blows. I will take 
you over there. It is a good place to hide in. 
Before we go there we must call in our brothers, 
and tell them about it. ’ ’ 

Running Crow repeated the words to his tribes- 
men. They heartily indorsed the plan. 

‘ ^ The Ogalala is a great leader, ^ ' they said. 

Then a warrior rode out on each side of the war 
party and galloped his pony in a circle. The 
scouts were visible, far away across the plain. 
They soon saw the riders and understood the 
signals. In a few moments the Cheyennes saw 
them riding in. In the meantime Painted Weasel 
had ridden away to acquaint his companions with 
the plans of the war party. 

‘^Now we will go to that gully, said White 
Otter. 

He circled more to the southward, and led them 
across the plain at a brisk canter. The scouts 
finally overtook them, and rode along beside them. 
They kept a sharp watch for their foes, but except 
for a few stray bunches of antelopes, the plain 
appeared lifeless. The day was well advanced 
173 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

when they eventually reached a deep ravine that 
extended far across the plain. 

‘^We will hide here and watch until it gets 
dark,’^ White Otter told them. 

Guards were appointed to watch the ponies, and 
then most of the warriors crawled up the side of 
the ravine to watch the plain. They looked eagerly 
into the east in the hope of discovering smoke 
from the Kiowa camp. 

‘^Perhaps it has died out; perhaps it is too 
far away,'' Running Crow told them. 

Sun Bird and Little Raven had joined White 
Otter. The three young scouts lay beside each 
other at the top of the ravine. They stared 
silently across the plain. The sun had set, and the 
evening shadows were already gathering in the 
east. 

‘^See, see, some one is riding this way,’’ Little 
Raven cried suddenly. 

Three horsemen were racing toward the ravine. 
The Cheyennes were talking excitedly. They felt 
certain that the riders were the scouts who had 
gone to watch from the ridge to the eastward. 
The Sioux also believed that Painted Weasel and 
his companions were returning with word of some 
174 


IN PURSUIT OF THE KIOWAS 

important discovery. Running Crow hastened to 
join White Otter. 

‘‘It looks bad/’ he said suspiciously. “Some- 
thing has happened.” 

“Pretty soon we will know about it,” White 
Otter said, quietly. 

As the scouts approached the ravine, the fore- 
most rider raised his hand above his head as a 
token of friendship. Then they recognized him as 
Painted Weasel. When he reached them he called 
for White Otter. 

“Here is White Otter,” Running Crow told him. 
“The Kiowa scouts have gone to that hill to 
watch,” said Painted Weasel. “We got away 
before they saw us.” 

“It is good,” replied White Otter. 

“Now it will be hard to get near the camp,” 
said Running Crow. 

“We will fool them,” White Otter assured him. 


CHAPTER XV 


DAEING SCOUTS 


T dark White Otter called the Cheyennes to 



assemble in the ravine. Then he announced 
his plans. 

brothers, I am going to the Kiowa camp 
to find out about Red Bog,’^ he said. ‘‘I will try 
to find out about the ponies. Then I will come 
back and tell you what to do. You must wait here. 
Keep a sharp watch. Do not let the Kiowas find 
you. If you hear them coming, ride away to that 
place where the trees are. If I do not come back 
before another sun goes away you will know that 
something bad has happened to me. I will watch 
out. I do not believe the Enowas will catch me. 
Now I am going to ask Sun Bird and Little Raven 
to go with me. Sun Bird knows about that camp. 
Little Raven will help us with the ponies. Now, 
my friends, I am going away. Pretty soon I will 
come back and tell you about Red Dog. ’ ^ 

When Running Crow told the plan to the Chey- 
ennes, they expressed their disapproval. Most of 
them wished to accompany White Otter on the 


176 


DARING SCOUTS 


perilous expedition. They believed that it would 
be foolhardy for the three Sioux to go without 
them. 

‘‘White Otter, I will tell you how my brothers 
feel about this thing, ^ ^ said Running Crow. ‘ ‘ They 
say that it would be foolish for the Dacotahs to 
go to that camp alone. The Kio’vyas are watching. 
Perhaps you will meet them. There will be only 
three of you. There will be many Kiowas. Per- 
haps you will be killed. Then your people will 
say, ‘ The Cheyennes held back. They were afraid. 
They sent our brothers ahead to die.’ Then we 
would feel bad. Come, take some of these brave 
warriors with you. Then if the Kiowas come after 
you, it will be easy to get away. ’ ’ 

“Running Crow, I have listened to your 
words,” replied White Otter. “If too many of 
us go to do this thing, the Kiowas will hear us. 
We must not let them know that we are here until 
we are ready to rush into the camp. Do not feel 
afraid. Nothing will happen to me. Once I went 
to that camp with my brother Sun Bird, and took 
away ponies. I will go there again.” 

“Well, my brother, I see that you propose to go 
ahead with this thing, so I will not talk any more 
against it,” said Running Crow. 

177 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


‘‘It is good,’’ declared White Otter. 

Soon afterward the three Sionx scouts rode 
away. When they were a bowshot from the ravine 
White Otter turned toward the south. He felt 
quite certain that the Kiowas would expect the 
Cheyennes from the north or the west, and he 
believed it would be safer to approach the camp 
from the southward. 

“Yes, it is the best way to go,” said Sun Bird. 

They eventually circled toward the east, and 
crossed the ridge without encountering their foes. 
Then they rode cautiously in the direction of the 
Kiowa camp. They kuew that it was located 
beside a wide stream to the eastward of another 
low ridge. Having passed the scouts, the Sioux 
hoped to reach the second ridge without being 
discovered. It seemed a long time before it finally 
loomed up before them. Then they stopped. The 
camp was only a short distance away. WTiite 
Otter suddenly began to sniff. 

‘ ‘ So-ta, smoke, ’ ’ he said. 

The wind was blowing toward them, and they 
caught the odor from the Kiowa fires. They spent 
some time listening for voices from the ridge. 
The way appeared to be clear. They rode slowly 
forward. They had gone only a short distance 
178 


DARING SCOUTS 

when White Otter suddenly stopped his pony, and 
dismounted. 

‘‘It would be foolish to ride closer to that 
place,’’ he said, softly. “I believe scouts are 
watching on the top of that hill. If we ride over 
there they will hear the ponies. I will tell you 
what I propose to do. Little Raven, you must 
stay here with the ponies. Sun Bird, you must 
go ahead with me. Little Raven, you must listen 
sharp. If you hear anyone coming toward you 
ride away. Do not let the Kiowas know who you 
are. When we come back we will make the call 
of To-ka-la, the little gray fox. Now we will go 
ahead.” 

“I will keep your words,” Little Raven said, 
quietly. 

White Otter and Sun Bird disappeared. A few 
moments later they stopped at the base of the 
ridge to listen. The silence reassured them, and 
they crawled cautiously up the slope. Once at 
the top, they looked eagerly toward the east. They 
located the camp by the glow from the fires. Then 
they saw them twinkling far away among the 
trees. They watched with the grim, silent satis- 
faction of a panther that has discovered its prey. 

‘ ‘ Come, ’ ’ whispered White Otter. “We will go 
179 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

down there and look for the ponies. Then we will 
crawl up to the camp and try to find out about 
Red Dog.’^ 

They moved carefully down the ridge, and hur- 
ried across the plain. On a former expedition 
they had learned that the Kiowas pastured their 
ponies to the northward of the camp, and they 
turned in that direction. They had no thought of 
attempting to run otf the ponies, however, for 
they realized that such a maneuver would cost the 
life of the Cheyenne chief. Besides, they felt 
certain that the piebald and the roan and the 
best of the Cheyenne war ponies bad been taken 
to the camp for safe keeping. They believed that 
the rest of the stolen ponies were with the great 
herd of Kiowa ponies that were turned loose upon 
the plain in the vicinity of the village. White 
Otter was eager to locate them so that the Chey- 
ennes would know exactly where to find them 
when they came to attack the camp. 

‘‘Perhaps the Kiowas drove them close to the 
lodges,’^ suggested Sun Bird. 

“Yes, it may be true,^’ said WRite Otter. 

They circled carefully about the plain, searching 
for the ponies, but were unable to find them. They 
finally became convinced that the crafty Kiowas 
180 


DARING SCOUTS 

had driven them close to the camp. It was the 
usual precaution in times of danger. 

‘‘Well, we will not look any more,^’ said White 
Otter. “The night is passing. There is little 
time. Come, my brother, we will creep up close 
to the camp. Perhaps we will find the ponies 
there. ^ ’ 

They turned toward the Kiowa village, and 
advanced with great caution. They stopped many 
times to make sure that the way was open, before 
they finally came within bow shot of the camp. It 
was located in a grove of cottonwoods that lined 
the banks of a stream. The lodges showed 
distinctly in the light from the fires, but the trees 
made it difficult to see into the village. 

“We must go closer,’^ declared White Otter. 

At that moment a dog began to bark, and they 
stopped in alarm. Had the dog caught their scent? 
Their hopes weakened at the thought. They 
listened, fearfully, expecting to hear the other 
dogs take up the challenge. Their fears, however, 
were not confirmed. The dog soon became quiet. 
The peril had passed. 

“ It is good, ’ ^ whispered White Otter. “We will 
go ahead. 

They moved through the darkness as silently 
181 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

as shadows, and approached close to the edge of 
the timber. Then they stopped. They were almost 
within leaping distance of the camp. They feared 
to advance nearer because of the dogs. Then 
White Otter suddenly thought of a way to over- 
come the peril. 

‘ ^ Come, my brother, we will climb into this big 
tree,” he proposed. ‘^Then we can see into the 
camp, and the dogs will not find us. ’ ^ 

‘‘It is good,” said Sun Bird. 

They climbed noiselessly into a large cotton- 
wood, and went sufficiently high to obtain a 
splendid view of the Kiowa camp. The Kiowas 
were assembled about a large fire, and a warrior 
whom the Sioux took to be the chief was talking 
excitedly. In a few moments they recognized 
him. They had outwitted him several years 
before. * 

“Hi, I know that warrior — it is ‘The Lame 
Wolf,’ ” laughed Sun Bird. 

“Yes, I see who it is,” replied White Otter. 

A moment afterward they made a still more 
interesting discovery. They saw a number of 
ponies tied at one end of the camp, and among 
them they identified the piebald and the roan. 
They were tied before a lodge, and the Sioux 
182 


DARING SCOUTS 

believed that the Kiowa who occupied it was the 
one who had taken the ponies from the Cheyenne 
camp. 

‘‘Pretty soon we will take them away,’^ said 
Sun Bird. 

White Otter kept still. He was searching the 
camp for Red Dog. The Cheyenne chief was not 
in sight. White Otter became alarmed. He won- 
dered if the Kiowas had already killed their 
prisoner. The possibility staggered him. He 
fastened his attention upon the man who was 
addressing his people. He appeared to be telling 
them something important. They were listening 
with serious attention. The entire tribe seemed 
to have assembled at the council fire, for the Sioux 
saw men, women and children in the group. Then 
the speaker suddenly pointed toward one of the 
lodges, and the Sioux looked eagerly in the direc- 
tion. A moment afterward the robe was drawn 
from the doorway of the lodge, and three warriors 
appeared. The Sioux instantly recognized one as 
Red Dog. 

“Watch sharp!’’ said White Otter. 

The appearance of the Cheyenne chief threw 
the Kiowas into a turmoil. They rose to their 
feet, and began to shout, and jeer, and threaten 
183 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

their foe. The latter walked slowly forward 
between his guards. He was badly crippled and 
walked with difficulty, and the Kiowas laughed at 
his misfortune. Several boys followed behind him, 
mimicking his gait. The eyes of the Sioux flashed 
dangerously. 

would like to kill those people,’^ declared Sun 

Bird. 

* ‘ Wait, White Otter said, grimly. 

Red Dog was led to the council fire. The Kiowas 
immediately began to threaten him. They crowded 
closely about him, shouting and shaking their fists, 
but the Cheyenne appeared calm and fearless. 
Then the warrior whom the Sioux had recognized 
called out sharply, and the Kiowas fell back. A 
moment afterward he addressed the prisoner. 
The Sioux wondered if he was speaking in the 
Cheyenne dialect. Red Dog gave no indication 
that he understood him. When the Kiowa finally 
paused, and appeared to be waiting for a reply, 
the Cheyenne remained silent. The Kiowa laughed 
scornfully, and turned away. Then Red Dog was 
taken back to the lodge. 

The Sioux felt greatly relieved. They believed 
that Red Dog would be spared for the night at 
least. The thought gave them hope. They be- 
184 


DARING SCOUTS 

lieved that the following night they might be able 
to rescue him from his predicament. 

‘‘We have found out what we wished to know,’' 
said White Otter. ‘ ‘ Come, we will go and tell the 
Cheyennes about it. ’ ’ 

“Yes, we must get far away before the light 
comes,” declared Sun Bird. 

They were about to descend, when they suddenly 
heard voices. The speakers were approaching the 
camp. They were close to the tree in which the 
Sioux had concealed themselves. The latter 
waited anxiously for the prowlers to pass. They 
believed that they were scouts who had been 
watching on the plain. Then the voices ceased, 
and the Sioux became uneasy. They wondered if 
the scouts had gone. They watched to see them 
enter the camp. Long moments passed. The 
scouts failed to appear. The Sioux wondered 
what had become of them. Then they heard them 
talking directly beneath them. They had stopped 
at the tree. The Sioux wondered if they had been 
discovered. They feared to move. At last they 
heard the Kiowas passing on. A moment after- 
ward they saw two warriors enter the camp. 

“Now we will go,” said White Otter. 

They descended from the tree, and sped safely 
185 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

into the night. Dawn was almost at hand when 
they finally found Little Raven. 

‘‘You have come — ^it is good,^’ he said. “Did 
you find Red DogU’ 

“Yes, we saw Red Dog in the Kiowa camp,’^ 
White Otter told him. 

“Did you see the ponies?’’ 

“Yes, our ponies are in that camp,” said Sun 
Bird. 

“Hi, that is good,” declared Little Raven. 

“Did anything happen to you?” White Otter 
asked him, as they rode toward the Cheyennes. 

“No, nothing happened to me,” said Little 
Raven. “I listened sharp, but I did not hear 
anything. ’ ’ 


CHAPTEE XVI 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

H aving crossed safely over the ridge where 
they believed the Kiowa scouts were watch- 
ing, the Sioux rode desperately to reach the ravine 
before daylight. There was not a moment to 
spare. Dawn was flushing the eastern sky when 
they finally encountered the first Cheyenne scout. 
They stopped, and White Otter imitated the bark 
of To-ko-la, the little gray fox. 

‘‘You have come back — ^it is good,’^ cried 
Painted Weasel. 

“Yes, it is good, ’ ’ Wliite Otter told him. 

They ran the ponies toward the ravine. The 
Cheyennes were overjoyed at their safe return. 
They gathered eagerly about them to learn if 
they had reached the Kiowa camp. 

“Cheyennes, Red Dog is alive,’’ White Otter 
told them. “We saw him in the Kiowa camp. ’ ’ 

“It is good, it is good,” cried Running Crow. 
“My brothers, you have done a big thing.” 

The Cheyennes were beside themselves with 
187 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

excitement. Their gloom vanished. Their hearts 
filled with hope. Having learned that their chief 
was alive, their one thought was to rescue him. 
They realized, however, that it would be foolhardy 
to make the attempt before night. The thought 
suddenly sobered them. The delay suggested 
alarming possibilities. They began to have 
doubts. 

‘Herhaps the Kiowas will kill Red Dog before 
the night comes, ’ ^ they told one another. 

Aroused by the thought, some of the warriors 
made reckless proposals to attack the camp at 
once. The majority, however, talked against it. 

‘ ‘ We must wait, ^ ^ Running Crow told them. ‘ ‘ If 
we let the Kiowas see us, they will kill Red Dog 
before we can help him. I do not believe anything 
will happen to him before the night comes. Come, 
White Otter, you are the leader, tell us how you 
feel about it.’’ 

‘‘My brothers, we must wait,” declared White 
Otter. “I do not believe the Kiowas will kill Red 
Dog before the night comes. I will tell you how 
I feel about it. I believe the Kiowas are getting 
ready for a big talk. They will tell their people 
about the great fight. They will dance and sing 
the war songs. Then Red Dog will be in danger. 

188 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

I believe they will bring him out to kill him. 1 
do not believe they will do anything until it gets 
dark. Then we will be close to the camp. We 
will rush in and carry away your chief. Pretty 
soon I will tell you how I propose to do it. You 
must wait until I tell you about it. If you do 
anything foolish, Red Dog will surely die. 

‘‘Now I will tell you something different. My 
brothers, we found the ponies. The war ponies 
are in the Kiowa camp. The other ponies are 
outside with the Kiowa ponies. We will run off 
the ponies when we carry away Red Dog. This 
will be a big fight. I know that all of you are brave 
enough to go through with it. You must also be 
sharp. We must fool the Kiowas. Then they will 
not kill Red Dog before we get into the camp. I 
believe some scouts are still watching over there 
on that long hill. I believe they will go away 
before it gets dark. We must keep hiding in this 
place until they go away. Now I have told you 
what I have to say about it. ^ ^ 

His words made a favorable impression upon 
the Cheyennes. They were convinced that his 
plan offered the only hope of saving Red Dog. 
They were eager to learn how he proposed to 
overcome the Kiowa camp without sacrificing the 
189 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 
life of the Cheyenne chief. White Otter showed 
no inclination to tell them. 

brothers, White Otter is a great chief, 
said Running Crow. ‘‘A great chief does not tell 
what he is about to do. You must wait until it is 
time to go ahead with this thing. Then White 
Otter will tell us about it. ’ ^ 

Day had dawned, and the sun was appearing 
above the plain. Most of the Cheyennes crept to 
the top of the ravine to watch for signs of the 
Kiowas. They wondered if scouts were still 
watching on the distant ridge. There was no way 
of learning. 

The day was well advanced when the Cheyennes 
discovered a band of animals on the summit of 
the ridge. They studied them with eager atten- 
tion. The distance made it difficult to identify 
them. Some thought they were ponies. White 
Otter and Sun Bird disagreed with them. 

‘‘He-ha-ka, elk,^’ said the Sioux. 

^‘Yes, yes, it is true,^’ agreed Running Crow. 

The animals were moving slowly along the 
ridge. Their appearance convinced the Cheyennes 
that the ridge was free of foes. They believed 
that the Kiowa scouts had returned to the village. 

190 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

‘^The way is clear — it is good,’^ said Running 
Crow. 

‘‘Perhaps they are watching close to the camp/’ 
White Otter told him. 

Then he called Sun Bird and Little Raven into 
the ravine. 

“My brothers, I have some words for you,” he 
said. “Pretty soon the day will pass away. I 
have been watching for our people. Now I do not 
believe they will come in time to help us. Perhaps 
the Cheyennes took a long time to go to our camp. 
Well, we cannot wait. We must go ahead with 
what we came to do. Red Dog is our friend. We 
must try to help him. I am about to do a big 
thing. I will ask you to help me. There will be 
great danger. Perhaps we will be killed. You 
are Dacotahs. You are brave. I know you are 
not afraid to die.” 

“White Otter, I will go with you,” said Sun 
Bird. 

“Yes, my brother, I will go,” Little Raven told 
him. 

“It is good,” declared White Otter. “Now I 
will tell the Cheyennes about it.” 

He asked Running Crow to summon his tribes- 
191 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


men. They hurried into the ravine, and assembled 
before the Ogalala. 

‘^My brothers, I have called you here to tell you 
what I propose to do,’^ said White Otter. ‘‘The 
day has almost gone. Night is close by. We must 
get ready. 

“Listen to my words. When we go to fight the 
Kiowas it would be foolish for all of us to go 
together. If we do that, the scouts will find out 
about it and tell their people. Then Red Dog 
will be killed before we get to the camp. There is 
only one way to do this thing. We must make 
three war parties. Now I will tell you about it. I 
am going to make Running Crow a leader. He 
must take some warriors and go away first. Run- 
ning Crow and his brothers must circle far around 
and come up on the other side of the camp. I am 
going to make Standing Bull a leader. He must 
take some warriors and go away next. Standing 
Bull and his brothers must circle around and come 
up on the side where the ponies are. I am going 
to make Painted Weasel a leader. He must take 
some warriors and go away last. Painted Weasel 
and his brothers must ride straight ahead to the 
camp. All of you must send scouts ahead to watch 
for the Eaowas. You must watch sharp. If you 
192 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

let them find you we cannot help Red Dog. When 
you all get close enough to shoot an arrow into 
the camp, you must wait. When Painted Weasel 
is ready he must make the cry of Ma-ya-sh, the 
wolf. Then Painted Weasel and Standing Bull 
must lead their brothers ahead. You must make 
a big noise. Standing Bull and his brothers must 
run otf the ponies. Painted Weasel and his 
brothers must go to the camp. 

‘‘Now, Running Crow, listen sharp. WTien you 
hear that noise you must bring your brothers to 
the other side of the camp. Do not make any 
noise until you are close. Then rush ahead. 

“While you are all doing these things. Sun Bird 
and Little Raven will go with me into the camp. 
We will try to save Red Dog and lead away the 
war ponies. You must come fast, my brothers, or 
the Kiowas will kill us. Each of you must do as 
I have told you to do. Now, my brothers, I will 
ask you how you feel about it. 

“White Otter, you have given us great words, 
declared Running Crow. ‘ ‘ I believe you have told 
us how to fool the Kiowas. You have asked me 
to be a leader. It is good. I will keep your words. 
Yes, my brother, I will do as you have told me to 
do.^’ 


193 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘ ^ It is good, ’ ^ said White Otter. 

‘ ‘ My brother, you are a great war leader, ^ ’ said 
Painted Weasel. we do as you tell us to do, I 
believe we will save Red Dog and run off many 
ponies. I will keep your words. I will lead my 
brothers close up to the camp. We will make a 
big fight. We will try hard to help you. ’ ’ 

^^It is good,’’ White Otter told him. 

^ ^ Great chief of the Ogalalas, I have listened to 
your words,” said Standing Bull. ‘^They are 
good. I believe it is the only way to do this thing. 
I will keep your words. I will lead my brothers 
to run off the ponies.” 

‘‘It is good,” said White Otter. “Well, my 
brothers, I see that you all feel good about this 
thing. It makes me feel big.” 

Having learned the plan of attack, the Chey- 
ennes looked forward to the fight with enthusiasm. 
They crept up the ravine and watched impatiently 
for the day to pass. They glared fiercely into the 
east, and murmured boastful threats against the 
hated foes in the distant camp. 

“Hi, hi, pretty soon we will show the Kiowas 
how to fight, ’ ’ they cried, savagely. 

When the purple evening shadows finally settled 
upon the plain, the war leaders called the warriors 
194 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

into the ravine, and began to select the men who 
were to accompany them. The Cheyennes watched 
with intense interest as Running Crow and 
Pamted Weasel and Standing Bull went about 
making their selections. All were famous war- 
riors who commanded the respect and admiration 
of their tribesmen, and the latter had little prefer- 
ence between them. Then White Otter suddenly 
called Running Crow. 

‘‘Running Crow, I believe Painted Weasel and 
his brothers will have the biggest fight, ’ ’ he said. 
“The Kiowas will run out that way when they 
hear the noise. Painted Weasel must take the 
most warriors. You will also have a big fight, 
because you must rush into the camp. You must 
take many warriors. Standing Bull will run off 
the ponies. I do not believe he will get into the 
fight. Standing Bull must not take so many 
warriors.’^ 

“It is true,’^ agreed Running Crow. “I have 
told my brothers about it. Painted Weasel is 
calling the most warriors. Standing Bull has 
called only a few.^’ 

“It is good,’’ said White Otter. 

When the selections had finally been made, each 
war leader made a short, fiery address to his 
195 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


warriors. Their words roused the fighting spirit 
of the Cheyennes. They made it plain that they 
hoped to wipe out the sting of their recent defeat 
and take full vengeance upon the Kiowas. 

^ ‘ My people are very mad, ’ ^ Running Crow told 
White Otter. ‘ ‘ They will make a big fight. ’ ^ 

Darkness had already fallen, and White Otter 
determined to reconnoiter the plain before the 
first war party left the ravine. He sent White 
Horse and Red Crane and Fighting Wolf and 
Sitting Bear to look for the Kiowas. White Horse 
and Red Crane advanced toward the distant ridge. 
Sitting Bear circled toward the north. Fighting 
Wolf rode toward the south. The Cheyennes 
waited anxiously for them to return. Sitting Bear 
came first. He said he had ridden far out over the 
plain but had heard or seen nothing of their foes. 
Then Fighting Wolf rode in. He, too, declared 
that he had failed to find the Kiowas. It was a 
long time before White Horse and Red Crane 
arrived. They said they had searched carefully 
along the ridge, but had failed to locate their 
enemies. 

‘^It is good,’’ said White Otter. “Now we are 
ready to go ahead. Come, Running Crow, call 
your warriors. ” 


196 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

When Running Crow and his companions were 
ready to depart, White Otter addressed them. 

“My brothers, you are going into great 
danger,’^ he warned them. “Perhaps you will 
have a hard fight. Running Crow is a good war 
leader. He will take you into the Kiowa camp. 
Then you must try to save your chief. When you 
get away come here and wait for your brothers. 
Do what I have told you to do. Do not try to do 
anything different. Go, my brothers. Red Dog is 
waiting for you.’’ 

“White Otter, we will keep your words,” Run- 
ning Crow told him. “When we hear that great 
noise we will rush ahead.” 

“It is good,” said White Otter. 

They rode silently from the ravine, and cantered 
away toward the south. White Otter listened 
soberly as the hoofbeats of the ponies gradually 
died away. He knew that they were staking their 
lives on his ability as a war leader. He realized 
his responsibility. Failure meant death for Red 
Dog, disaster for the Cheyennes, and disgrace for 
him. He drove the thought from his mind. 

“I will do this thing,” he murmured, fiercely. 

Standing Bull and his warriors were impatient, 
and eager to depart. White Otter held them back. 
197 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

He waited until he believed that Running Crow 
and his companions were well on their way before 
he finally sent away the second war party. 

^ ‘ Standing Bull, you must run off the ponies, ’ ’ 
said White Otter. ‘‘There are only a few of you. 
Do not try to get into the fight. Keep the ponies 
going. Make a big noise. ’ ’ 

“I will do as you tell me,^’ replied Standing 
Bull. 

After they had gone. White Otter called Painted 
Weasel. 

“Painted Weasel, you are a brave scout and a 
good war leader, White Otter told him. “I 
have seen you fight the Pawnees. I have seen 
you fight the Kiowas. I know you are brave. 
That is why I made you the leader of this war 
party. You will have the hardest fight of all. 
You must follow us to the Kiowa camp. You 
must wait close by until we have time to get into 
the camp. Then you must give the cry of Ma- 
ya-sh, the wolf, and rush ahead. Make a great 
noise. Try to frighten the Kiowas. Perhaps you 
will find us at the edge of the camp. Perhaps the 
Kiowas will hold us in the village. You must try 
to help us carry off Red Dog. 

“White Otter, you are my friend,^’ replied 
198 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

Painted Weasel. have seen you do some big 
things. All of these warriors know about you. 
They will be very brave because you are here. I 
will keep your words. We will fight hard to get 
Red Dog out of the camp. ’ ’ 

‘‘It is good/^ said White Otter. “Come, my 
brothers, we will go.’^ 

They mounted the ponies and rode from the 
ravine. Then they cantered slowly across the 
plain. White Otter and Painted Weasel rode in 
front. Sun Bird and Little Raven followed close 
behind them. Then came the gallant Cheyenne 
fighting men. They rode along in grim silence. 
When they had crossed the second ridge. White 
Otter stopped them. 

“Now, my brothers, we must leave you and go 
ahead, he told Painted Weasel. “Hold back 
until we have time to reach the camp. Then go 
ahead. Be cautious. Now send some one with us 
to hold the ponies. ’ ^ 

Two young Cheyennes rode forward to join the 
Sioux. Then White Otter led his little company 
toward the Kiowa camp. They soon saw the 
camp-fires fiickering between the trees. When 
they drew nearer they suddenly heard sounds 
which aroused their fears. The Kiowas were 
199 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


shouting and beating the war drums. White Otter 
listened uneasily. 

‘‘It is bad/^ he said. “The Kiowas are danc- 
ing and singing the war songs. Red Dog is in 
danger. There is little time. ’ ’ 

They rode faster. When they finally came 
within bowshot of the camp, White Otter stopped 
and dismounted. Sun Bird and Little Raven also 
dismounted. Then they left their ponies with the 
Cheyennes, and hurried away. They kept farther 
to the southward than they had gone the previous 
night, for WTiite Otter was anxious to conceal 
himself nearer the center of the village. 

“Now, my brothers, I will tell you what to do,^’ 
he said, softl)^ “When we get to the edge of the 
camp, we will look for Red Dog. Then we will 
look for the war ponies. I will ask Sun Bird to 
go with me to help Red Dog. I will ask Little 
Raven to creep into the camp and lead out the 
ponies. Now we will go ahead.’’ 

The plain was shrouded in darkness, and they 
crept to the border of the camp without being 
discovered. Then they looked upon their foes. 
The Kiowas were seated about a great fire in the 
center of the village. They had ceased dancing, 
and were listening to a warrior who appeared to 
200 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

be relating some thrilling experience. The Sioux 
felt sure that he was describing the battle at the 
Cheyenne camp. They took little interest in him, 
for their one thought was to discover Red Dog. 
He was not in sight. They felt relieved. They 
were within a few bow lengths of the lodge into 
which he had been taken the previous night. 

In the meantime, Little Raven had discovered 
the Dacotah ponies. They were tied before a 
lodge, a short distance on his left. He touched 
White Otter and pointed toward them. White 
Otter nodded understandingly. Little Raven 
crawled away into the darkness. 

A moment afterward the Kiowa finished his 
boastful tale, and received a noisy ovation from 
his people. The Sioux smiled. Then another 
warrior rushed into the circle and drove his toma- 
hawk into a painted post near the fire. The Sioux 
were familiar with the ceremony. They knew 
that the Kiowa claimed a coup for some daring 
feat which he had performed in the fight with 
the Cheyennes, and was about to tell his tribesmen 
of his valor. As the speaker drew the attention 
of the Eaowas, Wliite Otter seized the opportunity 
to creep closer to the lodge in which he hoped to 
find Red Dog. When he was within a bow length 
201 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 
of it, he stopped and placed his lips to the ear of 
Sun Bird. 

believe Red Dog is in this lodge, he whis- 
pered. am going to creep up behind it. Fol- 
low me.^^ 

They crawled cautiously forward until they 
were at the rear of the lodge. Then White Otter 
placed his ear at the bottom of the lodge cover, 
and held his breath to listen. All was still. He 
signaled to Sun Bird. He, too, lay close to the 
ground and listened. In a few moments he shook 
his head. He had heard nothing. They believed 
that Red Dog was alone in the lodge. The thought 
filled them with joy. The warrior was still telling 
his boastful tale. The Kiowas were silent. The 
Sioux believed their opportunity was at hand. 
They drew their knives and began to cut the lodge 
cover from the stakes which held it to the ground. 
Then they were suddenly interrupted by the shrill 
neighing of a pony somewhere at the other end of 
the camp. The warrior ceased speaking. The 
Kiowas cried out excitedly. The Sioux turned to 
each other in dismay. 

‘‘Run around the other side of the lodge cried 
White Otter. 

They separated and circled the lodge. Two 
202 


A THRILLING RESCUE 

warriors were coming out with Red Dog between 
them. The Sioux shot their arrows, and the 
Eaowas fell. Before the people in the camp real- 
ized what had happened, White Otter had reached 
the Cheyenne chief and freed his arms. Then he 
drew him toward the edge of the camp. The 
Kiowas rushed forward. Sun Bird fought des- 
perately to hold them back. 

Then the cry of Ma-ya-sh sounded from the 
plain. The Kiowas stopped in alarm. A moment 
afterward the night rang with a wild din that filled 
their hearts with terror. They heard their foes 
advancing on three sides of the camp. For an 
instant they crowded together in panic. Then the 
warriors ran for the ponies. They heard them 
thundering across the plain. They saw a dim, 
shadowy form dash into the camp and disappear 
with the Sioux war ponies. Then they heard the 
Cheyennes yeUing at the edge of the village. The 
Kiowas rushed forward to drive them out. At 
that instant another company of horsemen entered 
from the opposite side of the camp. The Kiowas 
became demoralized and fled wildly before their 
foes. The Cheyennes swept into the camp. 

‘ ‘ Come, my brothers, here are the ponies, ^ ’ cried 
203 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Little Raven, as lie joined his comrades at the 
border of the village. 

The three warriors who had waited with the 
ponies had already come forward. Red Dog 
mounted and raced away to lead his warriors. 
The Sioux followed close behind him. The Eaowas 
had abandoned the camp, and were fleeing across 
the plain. The Cheyenne victory was complete. 
They had overcome their foes without losing a 
man. 


CHAPTEE XVII 


DISASTER 

W HEN the Cheyennes finally returned to the 
ravine they found Standing Bull and his 
companions awaiting them with a great herd of 
ponies. Among them were the fast war ponies 
which the Cheyennes had liberated from a corral 
at the end of the Kiowa camp. 

White Otter, we have done what you asked 
us to do,’’ said Standing Bull. 

‘^You are a good leader,” White Otter told him. 
‘‘See, my brothers, we have brought back your 
chief. ’ ’ 

“Hi, hi, here is Eed Dog!” Standing Bull cried,, 
delightedly. 

It was the signal for a great ovation to the 
Cheyenne chief. His warriors gathered about 
him with wild enthusiasm. Their piercing yells 
echoed shrilly across the plain, and put new terror 
into the hearts of the fleeing Kiowas. Then the 
guards with the ponies called out and warned the 
Cheyennes that the frightened animals were 
threatening to stampede. 

205 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

‘‘Be quiet, be quiet!’’ shouted Running Crow. 
“You have frightened the ponies.” 

The Cheyennes heeded the warning and became 
quiet. A few moments afterward Red Dog 
addressed them. 

“My brothers, first I will tell you about these 
brave Dacotahs,” he said. “When the Kiowas 
came to kill me, the Dacotahs shot their arrows 
through them, and gave me my life. Then White 
Otter pulled me away. Sun Bird fought back the 
Kiowas. Little Raven took away the Dacotah 
ponies. It was a great thing to do. Dacotahs, 
my heart feels big. You saved me from the Paw- 
nees. Now you have saved me from the Kiowas. 
My people will talk about it a long time. 

“Now, Cheyennes, here are some words for you. 
You were very brave. You came to that camp 
and fooled the Kiowas. You chased them out of 
their lodges. You made them run like rabbits. 
The Elowas killed our people, but you killed many 
Kiowas. The Kiowas took our ponies, but you 
got them back, and took away many Kiowa ponies. 
Now we feel different in our hearts.” 

“Red Dog, I will tell you who brought your 
people to that camp to help you,” said Running 
Crow. “White Otter brought them. He was the 
206 


DISASTER 

leader. He told us how to fool the Kiowas.’’ 

‘‘White Otter is a great chief, replied Red 
Dog. 

“White Otter, my people want you to give them 
some words,’’ said Running Crow. 

‘ ‘ Cheyennes, you have done a big thing, ’ ’ White 
Otter told them. “You were very brave. Run- 
ning Crow, and Painted Weasel and Standing Bull 
are good war leaders. All of them did what they 
set out to do. That is how your chief. Red Dog, 
happens to be alive. Cheyennes, I will tell you 
that my brother. Sun Bird, was very brave. He 
fought back many Kiowas, while I was helping 
Red Dog. Cheyennes, I will tell you that my 
brother. Little Raven, was very brave. He 
crawled into the Kiowa camp and led out our 
ponies. Hi, my brothers, we feel good to get back 
those ponies. Now Red Dog has come back to 
you. He must be the leader. I have finished.” 

The Cheyennes remained at the ravine until 
daylight, and then as they saw nothing of the 
Kiowas they set out toward the north. They rode 
away in buoyant spirits, laughing, and shouting 
and singing the war songs. As usual, scouts rode 
ahead and along either flank. The warriors rode 
in pairs with Red Dog and White Otter in the 
207 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

lead. The men in charge of the ponies followed 
close behind the war party. The Cheyennes had 
little fear of pursuit, for they had thoroughly 
demoralized the Kiowas and taken away most of 
their ponies. 

‘‘They will not follow us,’^ laughed Red Dog. 

Although they felt secure from the Kiowas, the 
Cheyennes realized that there was a possibility 
of encountering the Pawnees. Having found 
them upon their hunting grounds, they felt quite 
certain that the Pawnees would keep a close watch. 
They believed, however, that the latter were 
farther toward the west, and they hoped to avoid 
them. 

“We will watch out,’^ said Red Dog. 

The warriors in charge of the captured ponies 
were having considerable difficulty in holding 
them together, and the war party was forced to 
travel slowly. It disturbed them, for they were 
eager to withdraw from the Pawnee hunting 
grounds as soon as possible. They knew that the 
Pawnees were constantly moving about the plain, 
and they feared that some sharp-eyed scout might 
discover them. In that event they felt quite cer- 
tain that the large herd of ponies would tempt 
the Pawnees to make an attack. 

208 


DISASTER 


Half of the day had passed before they discov- 
ered anything to make them suspicious. Then 
they saw one of the scouts racing toward them. 
They stopped to wait for him. 

‘^It is Turns Around/^ said Red Dog. 
believe he has found something bad.’’ 

In a few moments Turns Around reached them. 
He rode directly to Red Dog. They talked ear- 
nestly. Then Red Dog called out to the Cheyennes. 
They looked anxiously toward the west. 

‘‘Turns Around says he saw a warrior over 
there,” Red Dog told White Otter. “He says he 
believes the warrior was a Pawnee. He says he 
believes the warrior saw him. He came back to 
tell us about it.” 

“It is bad,” Wliite Otter said, soberly. “If 
that warrior saw Turns Around, perhaps he will 
follow him and see us.” 

“ It is true, ’ ’ replied Red Dog. “ W ell, we must 
keep going ahead. We cannot travel fast. We 
must keep with the ponies. They are holding us 
back. It is bad. I will feel good when we get 
away from this place. Now I am going to send 
Turns Around, and Sitting Bear over there to 
watch.” 


209 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

^‘Perhaps that scout will circle around and get 
behind us/^ suggested White Otter. 

‘‘Yes, I am thinking about that,” said Red Dog. 
“I will send Black Beaver, and Fighting Wolf 
back there to watch.” 

Red Dog told his plans to the Cheyennes. The 
scouts immediately rode away. At the same time 
the war party continued toward the north. Red 
Dog sent a number of warriors to assist in keep- 
ing the ponies in order. Then the Cheyennes 
attempted to make better speed. 

“Perhaps that warrior is a hunter,” Red Dog 
told White Otter, hopefully. “If he is a hunter 
I do not believe he will try to follow us.” 

WTiite Otter was silent. The discovery of the 
solitary rider had made him suspicious. Having 
encountered the strong force of Pawnees farther 
to the westward, he feared that they were still 
roaming about the plain. If one of their scouts 
came in sight of the Cheyennes, he believed there 
would be a fight. He realized that it would be 
difficult to escape without abandoning the ponies, 
and he knew that the Cheyennes would be unwill- 
ing to make that sacrifice. 

They heard nothing further from the scouts 
until late in the day, and then Black Beaver over- 
210 


DISASTER 

took them. His announcement caused consider- 
able excitement. White Otter believed that the 
Cheyennes were alarmed. Red Dog had left him, 
and was talking seriously with Running Crow. 

‘‘My brother, I believe the scouts have seen 
the Pawnees,’’ Sun Bird told White Otter. 

“Something bad has happened,” said White 
Otter. 

Then Red Dog galloped up beside him. He 
appeared uneasy and troubled. The Sioux asked 
no questions. In a few moments, however. Red 
Dog told them what Black Beaver had said. 

“Black Beaver says he saw three wolves peep- 
ing over the top of some rocks,” said Red Dog. 
“He says they did not look right. He asked 
Fighting Wolf about it. Fighting Wolf said they 
did not look right. Then they went away. Our 
brothers rode ahead. They kept looking back. 
They did not see anything. Then they rode over 
a little hill. Then Fighting Wolf held the ponies, 
and Black Beaver ran back to watch. He peeped 
over the hill, and saw two warriors riding away 
toward the Place-where-the-sun-sleeps. Then he 
saw a wolf peeping over the rocks. Then Fight- 
ing Wolf stayed there to watch, and Black Beaver 
came to tell us about it. My brothers, it is bad. 

211 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

I believe the Pawnees have found out about us. 
Come, 'White Otter, you are a great war leader, 
tell me what you make of it. ’ ’ 

‘‘It looks bad,’’ White Otter told him. “I 
believe what you say is true. I believe the Paw- 
nees know about us. ’ ’ 

“Well, if they know about us, they will bring 
a big war party to run off these ponies, ’ ’ declared 
Red Dog. 

“I do not believe those scouts know about the 
ponies,” said Sun Bird. “Perhaps they are only 
trying to find out who we are. We are going 
away. Perhaps they will not try to follow us.” 

“I believe they will follow us,” declared White 
Otter. 

“Well, there is only one thing to do,” Red Dog 
told them. “We must get away as fast as we can. 
We are not afraid of those Pawnees, but we must 
not lose the ponies.” 

“Those are good words,” said "White Otter. 

Fearful that they were being followed, the 
Cheyennes surrounded the ponies and lashed them 
into a sharp gallop. It was impossible to hold 
them together. They soon scattered, and some 
broke from the herd and raced wildly across the 
212 


DISASTER 

plain. The Cheyennes rode furiously to turn 
them back. 

‘‘It is useless,’^ they cried. “We cannot run 
them so fast.^’ 

Black Beaver had already turned back to join 
Fighting Wolf. The day was far gone, and the 
Cheyennes believed that if they could avoid an 
encounter before dark, they might be able to throw 
the Pawnees from their trail under cover of the 
night. The thought encouraged them. They ran 
the ponies at a brisk pace, and kept a sharp watch 
behind them. Then they saw Turns Around and 
Sitting Bear approaching from the west. Wlien 
they reached the war party they told Red Dog 
that they had seen nothing more of the solitary 
rider. 

“It is good,’’ said Red Dog. “Perhaps it was 
a hunter. I believe he has gone away.” 

At that moment, however, the Cheyennes heard 
shouts behind them. Looking back in alarm, they 
saw Black Beaver and Fighting Wolf racing after 
them. They were lashing their ponies and riding 
at a furious pace. 

“Watch out, I believe the Pawnees are close 
behind them!” cried Red Bog. 

213 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

“Run the ponies! Run the ponies!’^ cried the 
scouts. “Many Pawnees are coming!’^ 

The two riders had barely reached them when 
the Cheyennes saw a great company of horsemen 
ride over a hill. They knew at once that they 
were Pawnees. When the latter discovered the 
herd of ponies they began yelling excitedly. They 
raced across the plain at break-neck speed, and 
the Cheyennes realized that they would soon be 
overtaken. 

“Come, we will ride back there and fight them 
off,’’ proposed several young warriors. 

“No, no,” cried Red Dog. “Stay where you 
are. We must keep together and try to hold the 
ponies. Keep them running. Stay on all sides 
of them. Do not fight until the Pawnees try to 
rush in. Perhaps they will be afraid to come 
close.” 

The Pawnees were gaining with each stride of 
the ponies, and the Cheyennes knew it was hope- 
less to attempt to escape. Aware that an 
encounter was inevitable, they had surrounded 
the ponies, and were prepared to fight off their 
foes. The Sioux rode together at the head of the 
herd. 

“It looks bad,” said Sun Bird. “The Chey- 
214 


DISASTER 


ennes made a big fight to get these ponies, but 
I believe the Pawnees will run them off. ^ ^ 

‘‘We must fight them back,” White Otter told 
him. 

“See, see, they are trying to get ahead of us,” 
cried Little Raven. 

The Pawnees had suddenly separated, and were 
moving forward along the flank of the war party. 
The Cheyennes instantly guessed their plan. 

“They are going to ride around and close us 
in!” cried Red Dog. “Come, stop the ponies, 
and make a circle ! ’ ’ 

They made desperate attempts to stop the 
ponies, but the wild yells of the Pawnees had 
frightened them into a panic and they were 
beyond control. They were running madly, but 
the Pawnees were passing on both sides of them. 
Another company of foes were closing in from the 
rear. The Cheyennes at the rear of the herd 
turned about and drove them back with a fierce 
volley of arrows. Then the Pawnees who had 
passed began to close in ahead of them. The 
Cheyennes saw the danger. 

“Come, Cheyennes, follow me!” cried White 
Otter. 

He raced forward, and a number of Cheyennes 
215 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

left the ponies and followed him. Sun Bird and 
Little Raven rode close beside him. White Otter 
raised his voice in the war cry and rode straight 
at his foes. His reckless courage roused his com- 
panions, and they charged savagely upon the sur- 
prised Pawnees and swept them from the path. 

^‘Follow the Sioux! Follow the Sioux!'’ cried 
Red Dog. 

The Cheyennes lashed the ponies into a wild 
burst of speed. The Pawnees began to shoot 
their arrows. They charged within short bow- 
range and made a furious attack upon the riders 
along the edge of the herd. A number of Chey- 
ennes fell from their ponies. Their companions 
instantly closed the gap, and drove the riderless 
ponies into the herd. Then they sent a deadly 
shower of arrows against their foes. The Paw- 
nees dropped behind their ponies for protection, 
but the Cheyennes brought many of the ponies 
to the plain. 

‘‘Yes, yes, kill the Pawnee ponies !" cried Run- 
ning Crow. 

At that moment, however, the entire company 
of Pawnees charged recklessly upon the herd. 
The Cheyennes fought valiantly, but they were 
greatly outnumbered, and the Pawnees soon broke 
216 


DISASTER 


through them. Once past the guards they rode 
wildly into the herd, yelling and waving their 
arms. The terrorized ponies scattered like a 
covey of frightened grouse, and fled across the 
plain. The Pawnees raced after them. 

‘‘Come, we must catch them I’’ Running Crow 
cried, fiercely. 

‘ ‘ W ait, ’ ’ shouted Red Dog. ‘ ‘ The Pawnees are 
too strong for us. They are near their camp. 
If we follow them many more warriors may come 
to help them. It is useless to throw away our 
lives. If we let the Pawnees kill us, what will 
become of our people? We must hold back. We 
are not strong enough to fight them.^’ 

“Red Dog, your words are good,’^ declared 
White Otter. “It is useless to throw yourselves 
away.’’ 


CHAPTER XVm 


KEENFORCEMENTS 

T he Cheyennes were disheartened by the loss 
of the ponies. They rode across the plain 
in gloomy silence. Having rallied from the 
catastrophe which had fallen upon their village, 
they were completely disheartened by the fresh 
disaster which had overtaken them. 

“It is bad,^’ said Running Crow. “The Evil 
Ones must be working against us. ’ ’ 

The credulous Cheyennes were impressed by 
the thought. It deepened their gloom, and filled 
them with superstitious dread. Their recent mis- 
fortunes suddenly assumed a new significance. 
They believed that they had aroused the dis- 
pleasure of the Evil Ones. The idea startled 
them. They feared that still greater calamities 
might befall them. 

As the disastrous day finally came to its end, 
they approached a familiar camp site beside a 
large pool on the open plain. It was the only 
water within a half day’s travel, and as the plain 
218 


reEnforcements 

offered splendid pasturage for the ponies Red 
Dog determined to stop. Some of the warriors 
were eager to pass by, and continue the retreat 
from the Pawnee hunting grounds. 

‘^No, it would be foolish,’’ Red Dog told them. 
“We must stop here and rest the ponies.” 

The Cheyennes slid dejectedly from the ponies, 
and threw themselves upon the ground. They 
held the lariats, and watched indifferently while 
the ponies grazed. There was little talk. Their 
hearts were heavy. Their spirits were crushed. 
A splendid victory had ended in a bitter defeat. 
A number of their comrades had been killed. The 
Cheyennes felt subdued. 

“Our brothers feel bad,” Little Raven said, 
softly. 

^ ^ Bad things have happened to them, ’ ’ declared 
Sun Bird. 

White Otter made no comment. He, too, was 
serious and depressed. He had expected a war 
party of his people to come to the aid of the 
Cheyennes. He was at a loss to explain why they 
had failed to appear. Having assured the Chey- 
ennes that the Ogalalas would help them, he 
feared that they might doubt the sincerity of his 
pledge. The thought troubled him. He felt sure 
219 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

that if his tribesmen had joined the war party, 
the Pawnees would have been beaten off. 

‘‘My people did not come,’' he told Sun Bird. 
“It is bad. I do not know what to make of it.” 

“Perhaps the Cheyennes took a long time to 
go to your village, ’ ’ said Sun Bird. ‘ ‘ There were 
many women and children. They held back the 
warriors.” 

“Many suns have passed,” White Otter 
reminded him. 

They became silent. For a long time they sat 
watching the plain. White Otter looked hopefully 
toward the north. He knew that the Pawnees 
were two full days ’ travel from their village, and 
they would be forced to travel slowly with the 
great herd of ponies. If the Ogalalas should 
appear before the night passed he believed they 
might still overtake the Pawnees and recover the 
ponies. The possibility thrilled him. Then, as 
darkness finally came, the great hope died from 
his heart. 

“My brothers, night has come,” Red Dog told 
his warriors. “I do not believe the Pawnees will 
turn back to find us, but we must watch out. We 
are in the country of our enemies. I will ask 
220 


REENFORCEMENTS 

some of you to ride out on the plain and watch/’ 
will go,” White Otter said, eagerly. 

‘‘White Otter, you are a great chief,” Red Dog 
told him. “You have done big things to help us. 
You must lie down and rest. My young men will 
watch.” 

“No, no, I will watch,” insisted White Otter. 
“Perhaps something good will come of it. Red 
Dog, you must listen to my words.” 

‘ ‘ I will not talk against it, ’ ’ said Red Dog. 

“I will go,” replied White Otter. 

“I will go with you,” said Sun Bird. 

“No, my brother, I must go alone,” White Otter 
told him. 

A few moments later four scouts left the com- 
pany, and disappeared into the night. One was 
White Otter. He rode away toward the north. 

“I believe White Otter has gone to watch for 
his people,” Little Raven told Sun Bird. 

“It may be true,” said Sun Bird. 

Once beyond hearing of the Cheyennes, White 
Otter struck the piebald with his riding quirt, and 
the wonderful creature bounded away at mar- 
velous speed. He rode far into the north before 
he finally came in sight of a dense cluster of trees. 
They were several arrow flights away. He 
221 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 
stopped the piebald, and listened sharply. All 
was still. 

‘‘It is bad,^’ White Otter murmured. 

He rode slowly toward the timber. Then the 
piebald suddenly stopped and raised its head. 
White Otter peered eagerly into the darkness. A 
moment later a pony called. It was within bow- 
shot. White Otter drew his arrows, and waited 
in trying suspense. The piebald was restless. 
He believed that some one was approaching. 
Then he heard voices. They were close by. He 
imitated the bark of the little gray fox. The 
sounds subsided. He listened anxiously. Many 
moments passed. Hope gave way to suspicion. 
Had he betrayed himself to his foes? The possi- 
bility startled him. Then he heard an answer to 
his signal. The bark of the little gray fox sounded 
a short distance ahead of him. His eyes flashed. 
His heart bounded with joy. 

“Ho, Dacotahs,’’ he cried, eagerly. 

“Ho, my brother, come ahead,’’ some one 
replied. 

“My ears tell me who you are, but I must be 
cautious,” said White Otter. “Come, Ogalala, 
tell me your name. ’ ’ 

“Black Moccasin,” said the voice. 

222 


REENFORCEMENTS 


is good,’^ cried White Otter. 

He rode forward, and met the famous Ogalala 
scout. They cantered toward the trees. 

^^Have you fought the ElowasT^ Black Moc- 
casin inquired, anxiously. 

‘‘Yes, we went to their village and took away 
Red Dog and many ponies, ’ ^ White Otter told him. 

“Well, we came fast, but I see that we did not 
get here in time to help you,^^ said Black Moc- 
casin. 

“My brother, you must help us fight the Paw- 
nees, ’ ’ replied White Otter. ‘ ‘ The Pawnees came 
up with us and ran off the ponies that we took 
away from the Kiowas. That is why I came to 
find you.’’ 

“Hi, hi, that is bad,” said Black Moccasin. 

At that moment some one challenged them. 

“It is good, my brother,” cried Black Moc- 
casin. “White Otter is here.” 

“Ride ahead,” the scout told them. 

They advanced and met Hollow Bear, another 
noted Ogalala warrior. He accompanied them to 
the grove. White Otter was overjoyed to find a 
great company of Ogalalas assembled at the camp- 
site. With them were the five Cheyenne scouts 
who had accompanied the women and children to 
223 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

the Ogalala camp, and the company of warriors 
who had escaped from the Cheyenne village. 
White Otter was welcomed with enthusiasm. 

‘‘My brothers, I have found you — it is good,^’ 
he said. “There is little time to talk. First I 
will tell these brave Cheyennes that Red Dog is 
alive. We took him away from the Kiowas. We 
also ran off many ponies. Come, Cloud Eagle, 
you know my words, tell your brothers about it. ’ ’ 

The Cheyennes were wild with joy. It was 
some moments before WTiite Otter could proceed 
with his talk. 

“Now, Cheyennes, I will tell you something 
bad,’’ he said, finally. “We were driving away 
those ponies. Everything was good. Then the 
Pawnees came. They were very strong. They 
caught up with us and ran off those ponies. We 
could not stop them. 

“Ogalalas, we must ride after those Pawnees 
and try to get back those ponies. The Pawnees 
are not far ahead of us. I believe they stopped 
when it got dark. Their village is two sun’s 
travel away. They cannot travel fast. I believe 
we can come up with them. I will lead you. 
Come, jump on your ponies, and follow me.” 

The warriors ran to untie the ponies. A few 
224 


REENFORCEMENTS 

moments afterward they followed their famous 
young war chief across the plain. It was a great 
war party. Wolf Robe, the venerable Ogalala 
chief, had sent his best fighters to aid the Chey- 
ennes. White Otter thrilled at the thought of 
leading them against the Pawnees. 

White Otter, how did you come to find usP’ 
Black Moccasin asked curiously. 

‘‘I knew about that place — it is a good place 
to stop, ’’ White Otter told him. ‘‘When Red Dog 
stopped over there by the water I kept watching 
to see you. You did not come. I felt bad. Then 
it got dark. Then I said, ‘Perhaps my brothers 
are close by.’ Then I thought about that place. 
I said, ‘Perhaps my brothers are waiting there 
until it gets light.’ Then I came ahead to find 
out about it.” 

“Are the Cheyennes far away?” Black Moc- 
casin asked him. 

“No, we will soon find them,” said White Otter. 

He led the way at a fast pace, for he was eager 
to set out on the trail of the Pawnees without 
further delay. When they finally approached the 
spot where he had left the Cheyennes, White 
Otter raced forward in advance of the war party. 

“Watch out, some one is riding fast!” the 
225 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

Cheyennes cried in alarm, as they heard a pony 
galloping toward them from the north. 

‘‘It must be White Otter, said Red Dog. 
“Perhaps he has found out about something.^’ 

They sprang to their feet, and waited anxiously 
for the rider. As he came within bowshot, they 
began to call. 

“Who are you?^’ they inquired, suspiciously. 

“Do not be afraid, everything is good,^’ cried 
White Otter. 

“Yes, yes, it is White Otter,’’ the Cheyennes 
told one another. 

A few moments afterward the Ogalala joined 
them. They gathered around him to learn what 
had happened. 

“Listen!” he cried. “Do you hear those 
ponies? They are bringing my people. Chey- 
ennes, my words have come true. The Ogalalas 
are coming to help you. ’ ’ 

They heard the hoofbeats of many ponies. The 
sound filled them with joy. A great hope entered 
their hearts. 

“It is the Ogalalas! It is the Ogalalas!” they 
cried, excitedly. 

Then the great Sioux war party dashed out of 
the night. Their arrival threw the Cheyennes 
226 


REENFORCEMENTS 

into a tumult. For a moment all was confusion. 
Then White Otter took command, and restored 
order. 

‘^Come, come, my brothers, we are making too 
much noise, ^ ' he said, sharply. 

The great company of fighting men instantly 
became quiet. They dismounted and waited for 
instructions from their chief. 

‘‘Cheyennes, my people have come here to 
fight,’’ White Otter said, proudly. “We will ride 
after the Pawnees. We will bring back those 
ponies. A Dacotah does not turn back. We will 
do what we set out to do. Cheyennes are you 
ready to go into this fight?” 

“Yes, yes, we are ready!” shouted the 
Cheyennes. 

“It is good,” declared White Otter. 

“Wait, Ogalalas, I will give you some words,” 
said Red Dog. “I have talked with Cloud Eagle 
and Two Dogs and Walks Alone and Hairy Robe 
and Lame Bear. Those warriors took our women 
and children to your village. They gave me good 
words. Now I know that our people are safe in 
your lodges. Now I know that they will have 
plenty to eat and a good place to sleep in. Now 
I know that our people will stay with you until 
227 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

we fight the Pawnees and bring hack the ponies. 
It is good. Ogalalas, yon have good hearts for 
your friends. The Cheyennes feel good about it. 
We will always try to help you. 

“Ogalalas, your great chief, Wolf Robe, is too 
old to fight, but he has sent you here to help us. 
It is good. Now we are strong enough to fight 
the Pawnees. White Otter says that a Dacotah 
does not turn back. It is true. The Dacotahs 
are very brave. Well, the Cheyennes will keep 
close beside you. 

“Ogalalas, White Otter, your chief, is a great 
leader. He took me away from the Kiowas. He 
was the leader. He told my people how to get 
into that camp. We did what he told ns to do. 
Everything was good. All my people came out 
of that fight. It is something to talk about. 
Cheyennes — Ogalalas — ^listen to my words. I am 
going to ask White Otter to be the leader of this 
great war party. He is as brave as Ma-to-ho-ta, 
the bear. He is as sharp as To-ka-la, the fox. 
He fooled the Kiowas. I believe he will fool the 
Pawnees. If White Otter is the leader, I believe 
we will get back those ponies. Now you all know 
how I feel about it.^’ 

His proposal was approved by the entire com- 
228 


REENFORCEMENTS 

pany. The Cheyennes believed that the young 
war chief of the Ogalalas possessed some myste- 
rious power which made him immune from peril, 
and enabled him to triumph over his foes. They 
believed that his leadership greatly increased 
their chances for a victory over the Pawnees. 
The Ogalalas were equally certain of success. 

‘‘I will be the leader,’’ said White Otter. 
‘^Now we must get away. Pretty soon the light 
will come. There is little time. Come, Red Dog, 
send some one to call in the scouts. Then we will 
ride away.” 

Red Dog sent several riders to find the three 
Cheyenne scouts who were watching on the plain. 
Then the Cheyennes gathered about the warriors 
who had escaped from the Cheyenne camp to learn 
the details of the disastrous battle with the 
Kiowas. It was not long, however, before they 
were interrupted by the arrival of the scouts. 
They said that they had watched carefully but 
had heard nothing of their foes. 

‘‘It is good,” said White Otter. “Come, my 
brothers, get on your ponies. We will go to fight 
the Pawnees.” 


CHAPTER XIX 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 


WARE that each moment was precious, 



-ajL White Otter rode through the night at a des- 
perate pace. Behind him thundered the great war 
party of Sioux and Cheyennes. Beside him rode 
Red Bog, the Cheyenne chief, and Black Moccasin, 
the famous Ogalala scout. Convinced that they 
would see nothing of the Pawnees until they 
finally came up with them. White Otter saw little 
need for caution. He believed that the Pawnees 
had stopped for the night, to rest the ponies, and 
he was eager to cover as much distance as possi- 
ble before daylight. 

The Ogalalas were enthusiastic at the idea of 
an encounter with their old-time enemies, the 
Pawnees. They knew from experience that the 
hated ‘^Wolf People” were brave and stubborn 
fighters, but they felt confident of victory. They 
followed gayly after their leader, talking, and 
laughing and chanting their war songs. Behind 
them came the Cheyennes. Their gloom had van- 
ished. Their confidence was restored. The war- 


230 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 

riors who had returned with the Ogalalas had 
greatly strengthened their numbers, and with the 
formidable Dacotahs for allies they believed that 
success was assured. 

‘^Pretty soon it will be light, said White Otter. 
‘^Then we will send scouts to find the tracks of 
the ponies. We will follow them until we come 
up with the Pawnees.^’ 

‘‘While the foolish Pawnees are sleeping, we 
are rushing closer,^’ laughed Eed Dog. 

“Perhaps they kept going ahead,” said Black 
Moccasin. “Perhaps they were afraid some one 
would follow them.” 

“No, I do not believe it,” declared Eed Dog. 
“They saw that we were not strong enough to 
fight them. They do not expect any one to follow 
them. ’ ’ 

“They cannot keep running those ponies,” 
White Otter told them. “They must stop to 
rest.” 

At dawn White Otter became more cautious. 
He stopped the war party and made known his 
plans. 

“The light has come, we must look for the 
Pawnees,” he said. “I am going to send out 
some scouts to find the tracks of those ponies. 

231 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

I will send Sun Bird, and Little Raven, and High 
Eagle. Now, Red Bog, you must send three of 
your people with my brothers.’’ 

‘ ‘ It is good, ’ ’ said Red Bog. ‘ ‘ I will send Run- 
ning Crow, and Painted Weasel and Standing 
Bull.” 

‘^Now, my brothers, I will tell you what to do,” 
said White Otter. ‘‘I will ask Sun Bird and 
Little Raven to go ahead. I will ask the rest of 
you to ride out on both sides of us. Look hard 
until you find the tracks of those ponies. I believe 
they are close by. If you find them, make the 
signal. We will keep watching. If we find those 
tracks, we will make the signal. Perhaps scouts 
are watching on the high places. Look out for 
them.” 

The six scouts went away. Then the war party 
rode ahead. Eager to prevent the Pawnees from 
increasing their lead, they rode at a stiff pace. 
It was not long before they saw Standing Bull 
riding rapidly in a circle, some distance to the 
westward. 

'Ht is good,” said White Otter. ‘‘Standing 
Bull has found the tracks. We will go over 
there.” 

Standing Bull and Painted Weasel had found 
232 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 

the trail of the Pawnees. A close examination 
of the tracks convinced White Otter that the 
Pawnees were traveling at a moderate pace. 

“They made those tracks before the last sun 
went away,’' he said. 

“It is true,” agreed Black Moccasin. 

“Call the scouts,” said WTiite Otter. “Then 
we will go ahead, and find out where the Pawnees 
stopped.” 

They saw one of the scouts approaching from 
the east. The fact that he was alone made them 
suspicious. They believed that his companion 
had remained to watch something. As the rider 
came nearer they saw that it was High Eagle, 
the Ogalala. 

“We saw some people far away toward the 
Place-where-the-day-begins, ” said High Eagle. 
‘ ‘ Three were on ponies. They rode ahead. Four 
were on foot.” 

“WTiich way are they going?” inquired White 
Otter. 

^ ‘ They are going straight ahead — the same way 
we are going,” High Eagle told him. “They are 
far away. Punning Crow is watching them.” 

“I believe those people are Kiowas,” said 
White Otter. “We chased them far away. Now 
233 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


they are going back to their village. We will not 
think about them.’’ 

^‘Yes, yes, it must be the Kiowas,” laughed 
Red Dog. 

“High Eagle, we have found the tracks of the 
Pawnees,” said White Otter. “We are going to 
follow them. Go back there and bring Running 
Crow. ’ ’ 

When they learned that the scouts had discov- 
ered a small company of Kiowas, some of the 
Cheyennes were eager to ride away in pursuit 
of them. White Otter immediately objected. He 
realized that the maneuver would cause delay and 
confusion, and might betray them to the Pawnees. 

“No, you must not go over there,” he said. 
“You must keep going ahead to catch the Paw- 
nees. If you hold back they will get to their 
village. Then it will be hard to run off the ponies. 
I am the leader. You must do as I tell you.” 

Red Dog repeated the message to the Chey- 
ennes, and they dismissed the Kiowas from their 
thoughts. They knew that White Otter and his 
warriors were risking their lives to help them, 
and they were eager to obey his commands. Then 
they saw High Eagle and Running Crow riding to 
join them. Sun Bird and Little Raven, however, 
234 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 

had failed to appear. White Otter felt little fear 
for their safety. He believed that they were 
scouting carefully in advance of the war party 
in an effort to locate the Pawnees. 

‘‘Pretty soon they will come/’ he told Eed Dog. 

A few moments afterward they rode over a 
low ridge, and saw the two Minneconjoux scouts. 
They were waiting at a grove of cottonwoods. 
The war party raced forward to join them. 

“Here is the place where the Pawnees 
stopped,” said Sun Bird, as White Otter 
approached. 

“Yes, I see where the ponies were feeding,” 
replied W^hite Otter. 

He believed that the Pawnees had remained at 
the spot until daylight. In that event he realized 
that they could not be very far ahead of him. 
He hoped to come in sight of them before the 
end of the day. 

“We must go on,” said White Otter. 

They galloped away on the trail. It led directly 
toward the south. As they advanced the plain 
became rough and broken, and there were many 
low knolls and ridges. White Otter realized that 
it offered splendid protection to hostile scouts^ 
and he became more cautious. 

235 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 


^‘Coine, Sun Bird, ride ahead and keep watch- 
ing the high places, he said. will ask Little 
Raven to go with yon. Follow the tracks of the 
ponies. We will ride behind you. ’ ^ 

The Minneconjoux galloped away. The war 
party rode easily until the scouts were a long 
way ahead. Then they again raced their ponies 
at high speed in the hope of soon overtaking the 
Pawnees. 

As the day advanced and they failed to see any- 
thing of their foes, some of the warriors feared 
that they would be unable to overtake them before 
they reached the great Pawnee camp. The thought 
discouraged them. White Otter, however, was 
still hopeful of coming up with them. He felt 
sure that he was steadily gaining upon them, and 
he expected to see them before the end of the day. 
Red Dog, too, was confident that they would come 
in contact with the Pawnees before nightfall. 

‘‘Hi, hi, I believe our brothers have found 
them!’’ Black Moccasin cried, excitedly. 

The Minneconjoux were riding in a circle on 
the top of a low hill. The war party rode toward 
them with high hopes. 

“What has happened?” White Otter inquired, 
anxiously. 


236 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 

‘‘We saw two riders over there on that next 
hill,’’ said Sun Bird. “They went away very 
fast. I believe they were Pawnee scouts.” 

“Did they see you?” asked White Otter. 

“Yes,” replied Sun Bird. “They must have 
been peeping over that high place. We looked 
sharp, but we could not see them. When we went 
up that hill we saw them riding away. They kept 
looking back. Then we rode here to call you. ’ ’ 

“It is bad,” said Red Dog. “They will tell 
their people about us. Now it will be hard to 
catch them. ’ ’ 

“Well, my brothers, there is no use of talking 
about it,” declared White Otter. “There is only 
one thing to do. We must rush ahead and try 
to catch the Pawnees before they get away.” 

“Yes, that is the only thing to do,” said Black 
Moccasin. 

They raced ahead at top speed. They had gone 
only a short distance when they saw a small com- 
pany of horsemen sweep into view over a near- 
by rise of the plain. They stopped at sight of 
the war party. Then they turned and raced 
toward the south. They appeared to have been 
thrown into a panic. White Otter and his war- 
237 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

riors rode after them with the fierce eagerness 
of wolves in sight of game. 

‘ * Those warriors came to find ns, but they found 
something different, laughed Little Raven. 

Their people must he close by,’’ declared 
White Otter. 

The Pawnees had disappeared behind the ridge. 
When the war party reached it, they saw them 
still riding furiously toward the south. They had 
lost considerable ground, however, and White 
Otter felt encouraged. 

^‘We will come up with them,” he told his 
companions. 

‘‘Yes, yes, we are closing in,” said Red Dog. 

They heard the scouts whooping fiercely, and 
they believed that they were attempting to warn 
their tribesmen. Then they discovered a great 
smother of dust rising in the distance. They 
realized that they had come in sight of the 
Pawnees. 

“Come, come, ride faster!” cried White Otter. 

They forced the ponies into a terrific pace. 
They were steadily gaining upon the four scouts. 
The latter were making frantic efforts to escape. 

“Pretty soon we will catch those riders, ” White 
Otter declared, grimly. 

238 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 

At that moment, however, the Pawnee scouts 
turned toward the east. White Otter instantly 
detected the clever ruse. 

‘‘Do not follow them,’’ he cried. “They are 
trying to lead us off. Keep after the ponies.” 

Then they swept over a rise of the plain, and 
saw the Pawnees and the ponies directly ahead 
of them. They were a long distance away, how- 
ever, and were riding desperately. They appeared 
to have the great herd of ponies under complete 
control, and White Otter realized that the chase 
threatened to be a long one. 

“They are far ahead of us,” he said, soberly. 

Having actually sighted the Pawnees, the war 
party was determined to overtake them. Forcing 
the ponies to a killing pace, they began to gain 
upon their foes. Stride by stride they overcame 
the lead of the Pawnees until the latter were 
barely two arrow flights away. Then the Pawnees 
lashed the ponies into a furious sprint, and held 
off their pursuers. The wild race across the plain 
became a test of endurance between the rival 
ponies. Both companies of riders knew that the 
gallant little beasts must eventually collapse, but 
each hoped that their foes would be the first to 
weaken. The ponies appeared to be well matched, 
239 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

however, and the exhausting chase continued. 

The Pawnees were approaching a long, strag- 
gling line of trees that reached far across the 
plain. White Otter knew that the timber marked 
the course of a stream. He rode wildly to over- 
take his foes before they reached it. Once they 
crossed the water he realized that it would be 
difiScult to reach them, and still more difficult to 
secure the ponies. His efforts were useless, how- 
ever, for the Pawnees held their lead. They were 
still safely beyond arrow range when they finally 
forced their gasping ponies across the stream, 
and came to a stand in the timber along the bank. 
White Otter pulled up the sweating piebald. The 
long pursuit had come to an end. The Pawnees 
had placed a formidable barrier between them 
and their foes. For the moment, at least, they 
were safe from attack. 

‘‘Now I know why they did not stop to fight,’’ 
White Otter said, bitterly. “They were trying 
to get to that place. Now they are there. It is 
bad.” 

“Well, we made them stop,” declared Red Dog. 

“Yes, we kept them from getting to their 
camp, ’ ’ said Black Moccasin. ‘ ‘ Now we are close. 

240 


THE PAWNEES AT BAY 

They cannot get away. Pretty soon we will go^ 
over there and mn off the ponies.’’ 

‘‘My brother, that will be a hard thing to do,” 
White Otter told him. 


CHAPTER XX 


A HAED WON VICTOEY 

W HITE OTTER and his warriors ap- 
proached within bowshot of the stream. 
Then they sat upon their tired ponies, and stared 
silently across at the Pawnees. The latter were 
in sight among the trees. They had driven the 
captured ponies from the timber, and were herd- 
ing them upon the open plain. Less than a third 
of the company guarded them. The rest of the 
Pawnees were watching along the hank of the 
stream. 

Perhaps those warriors will try to hold us 
back while their friends get away with the 
ponies,’’ Red Dog declared, suspiciously. 

believe that is what they propose to do,” 
said Black Moccasin. 

‘‘No, I do not believe it,” White Otter told them. 
“Those ponies have come a long ways. They 
have run fast. The Pawnees will let them rest. 
When it gets dark perhaps they will try to take 
them away. ’ ’ 


242 


A HARD WON VICTORY 

believe what White Otter says is true,’* 
declared Sun Bird. 

The Pawnees had gained the advantage. White 
Otter realized that an attempt to cross the stream 
might result in heavy loss. He determined to 
wait until he had carefully studied the possi- 
bilities. Both the Ogalalas and the Cheyennes, 
however, were eager to make an attack. The 
Pawnees were jeering, and daring them to cross 
the stream. 

^^Hi, you Dacotahs, are you afraid to follow 
us through the water? some one called, mock- 
ingly. ^‘You came here to help the Cheyennes. 
Why are you holding back? Have we frightened 
you? Go back to your lodges and sit with the 
old women. Perhaps they will tell you how to 
fight. ’ ’ 

The taunt roused the Ogalalas into a frenzy. 
They were wild with rage. Some of them rode 
recklessly to the edge of the stream. Many of 
the Cheyennes followed them. White Otter 
warned them against attempting to cross. 

‘‘Stop!’^ he cried. ‘‘The Pawnees are trying 
to catch you. Are you going to throw away your 
lives? The Pawnees are like Zi-ca, the squirrel. 
They make a big noise, but they hide behind the 
243 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

trees. They are trying to make you mad. If 
you ride into the water, they will kill you with 
their arrows. Come, my brothers, turn back. 
Shake the words of the Pawnees from your ears.” 

The Ogalalas saw the wisdom of his words. 
They lingered a moment or so, shouting boastful 
threats against the Pawnees. Then they turned 
back. The Cheyennes accompanied them. The 
Pawnees laughed fiercely. 

A moment afterward a ringing shout sounded 
farther along the stream. The Pawnee scouts 
had crossed, a long distance to the eastward. 
They were riding to join their tribesmen. 

‘‘Those Pawnees feel very brave,” laughed 
White Otter. 

The day was passing, and White Otter realized 
that he must decide upon a plan of action. He 
left High Eagle and a small company of scouts 
to watch the Pawnees, and then he led the war 
party beyond earshot of their foes. He called a 
council, and asked Running Crow to act as 
interpreter. 

“My friends, we must find out the best way to 
run off those ponies,” he said. “When it gets 
dark we must be ready to do something. Now 
I will tell you how I feel about it. I believe the 
244 


A HARD WON VICTORY 

Pawnees will try to send away those ponies. 
They will try to fool us. We must be sharp. I 
will tell you what I propose to do. If any of you 
feel different about it, you must talk against it. 

‘‘Now, my brothers, listen sharp. I believe 
there is only one way to get those ponies. When 
it gets dark we will send scouts along the water. 
They must follow along the water until they find 
a good place to go across. Then they must go 
across, and watch the Pawnees. If the Pawnees 
try to run off the ponies, the scouts must make 
the signal. After those scouts go away we will 
make two war parties. Our brothers, the Chey- 
ennes, will keep together. Red Dog will be the 
leader. My people will keep together. I will be 
the leader. One war party must stay here. One 
war party must go toward the Place-where-the- 
day-begins. Then that war party must circle 
around and cross over the water. Those warriors 
must run off the ponies. The war party that 
stays here must go straight ahead to fight the 
Pawnees. Then we will be on two sides of them. 
Now I have told you how I feel about it.’^ 

“My brothers, you have heard the words of a 
great chief,’’ said Red Dog. “White Otter is the 
245 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

leader. I will do as he proposes to do. I believe 
it is good.’^ 

^‘Cheyennes, I believe White Otter has told us 
the best way to fight the Pawnees/^ said Running 
Crow. 

‘‘My friends, White Otter is a great war 
leader, ’’ declared Black Moccasin. “He has led 
his people in many battles. If we do as he tells 
us to do, I believe we will get back those ponies.’^ 

Many more warriors indorsed the plan of the 
Ogalala chief. No one spoke against it. Having 
led them to a splendid victory over the Kiowas, 
the Cheyennes felt confident that he would be 
equally successful against the Pawnees. 

“Well, my brothers, I see that there is no one 
to talk against this thing — ^we will go ahead with 
it,’^ WTiite Otter told them. “Now I will call out 
the names of the scouts who must go to watch the 
Pawnees. I will call my brother Hollow Bear, 
and I will call Standing Bull. Hollow Bear is 
an Ogalala. Standing Bull is a Cheyenne. Both 
of them are great warriors. Now I will tell you 
about those war parties. I see that there are 
more Ogalalas than Cheyennes. The Ogalalas 
must fight the Pawnees. The Cheyennes must 
246 


A HARD WON VICTORY 

try to get the ponies. Come, Red Dog, tell me 
how you feel about it.^^ 

‘‘It is good,^^ agreed Red Dog. 

Having decided upon the plan of attack, the 
war party again approached the stream. High 
Eagle and his companions said that the Pawnees 
had made no attempt to leave the timber. White 
Otter felt sure that they, too, were waiting to 
attempt some bold bit of stratagem under cover 
of the night. The thought made him suspicious, 
and watchful. He saw nothing which would give 
him a clew to the intentions of the Pawnees. 

As the light slowly faded from the plain the 
Pawnees began to sing their war songs and shout 
fierce threats against their enemies. The Oga- 
lalas and the Cheyennes listened in silence. The 
threatening flash of their eyes, however, betrayed 
the wrath that blazed in their hearts. They 
waited for darkness, and the opportunity to rush 
upon their foes. 

In the meantime Hollow Bear and Standing 
Bull had ridden away on their perilous mission. 
They went a considerable distance toward the 
north before they finally turned to the eastward. 
Then they made a wide detour and approached 
the stream. They waited a long time at the edge 
247 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

of the water, listening for sonnds from their foes. 
As they heard nothing to alarm them, they rode 
cautiously into the stream. They reached the 
opposite side in safety, and moved out upon the 
plain. 

Soon afterward Red Dog and his warriors 
arrived at the stream, an arrow flight from the 
place where the scouts had crossed. They, too, 
stopped to listen. All was quiet. The Chey- 
ennes, however, waited beside the water. They 
were listening for the signal which would warn 
them that the Ogalalas had begun the fight. 

^‘My brothers, the scouts have gone,’' White 
Otter told the Ogalalas. believe they are 
across the water. Red Dog and his brothers have 
gone. I believe they are waiting for the signal. 
Everything is ready. We must begin the fight. 
I will ask you to be brave. Drive back the Paw- 
nees and get to the ponies. Red Dog and his 
warriors will come to help us. Keep close around 
the ponies. Drive them across the water. Are 
you ready?” 

‘‘Hi, hi!” cried the Ogalalas. 

“Come!” shouted White Otter. 

At that moment they heard the thunder of hoof- 
beats across the stream. A piercing shout rang 
248 


A HARD WON VICTORY 

through the night. It was a warning from the 
scouts. Then the wild yells of the Pawnees 
sounded from the edge of the water. The Oga- 
lalas realized what had happened. 

‘ ‘ They are running off the ponies I ’ ’ cried White 
Otter. Follow me!’’ 

The Ogalalas raised the great Dacotah war cry, 
and rode boldly into the stream. They heard 
Red Dog and the Cheyennes farther to the east- 
ward. The Pawnees began to shoot their arrows. 
The Sioux sent a volley into the timber. Then 
they lashed their ponies forward, and charged 
recklessly upon their foes. The Pawnees held 
their ground, and otfered desperate resistance. 
The Sioux, however, were thoroughly aroused, 
and they fought with a sullen ferocity that made 
them irresistible. The Pawnees j&nally gave way, 
and raced across the plain in pursuit of the ponies. 
The Ogalalas kept close behind them. They heard 
the Cheyennes whooping fiercely, and they 
believed that they had overtaken the herd. 

^^Hi, hi, the Cheyennes are making a big fight 
the Dacotahs cried, excitedly. 

When they were within arrow range of the 
ponies, the Pawnees turned and fought savagely 
to hold them back. For a moment the Sioux were 
249 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

halted. Then they rallied, and swept forward 
in a ferocious attack that completely overcame 
their foes. A moment afterward they were at 
the rear of the herd. 

In the meantime Red Dog and his tribesmen 
had raced ahead of the Pawnees, and were 
attempting to turn the ponies. Once at the front 
of the herd, they rode wildly among the Pawnees 
and drove the frightened ponies from their course. 
Whooping, and lashing furiously with their heavy 
riding quirts, they gradually forced the ponies 
toward the east. The Pawnees attacked them 
with great bravery, but the Cheyennes beat them 
off. Then a company of Ogalalas raced along the 
flank of the herd and came to the assistance of 
their allies. 

‘^Turn the ponies — ^run them to the water I 
they cried. 

They soon gained control of the herd and raced 
the ponies toward the stream. The Pawnees had 
no thought of yielding. Infuriated by the success 
of their foes, they fought valiantly to regain 
possession of the ponies. 

‘ ^ Hold them off, hold them off ! ^ ^ shouted White 
Otter. 

While Red Dog and a company of Cheyennes 
250 


A HARD WON VICTORY 

rode ahead to drive aside the Pawnees, the rest 
of the war party surrounded the herd. The 
Pawnees found it impossible to reach the ponies. 
They rode close up to their foes and fought with 
reckless courage, but each time they were driven 
off. 

‘‘Hi, the Pawnees are brave, Sun Bird told 
White Otter. 

“Yes, they are making a great fight,'’ acknowl- 
edged White Otter. 

When they finally reached the timber the ponies 
attempted to turn aside, and in a moment the 
herd was thrown into wild confusion. The Paw- 
nees were quick to seize the opportunity. Yelling 
fiercely, they dashed forward like a pack of mad 
wolves, and attempted to cause a stampede. 

“Come, Cheyennes, drive the ponies into the 
water ! ' ' cried White Otter. ‘ ‘ Ogalalas, hold back 
the Pawnees!" 

Then the Sioux and the Pawnees fought a thrill- 
ing hand-to-hand encounter, while the Cheyennes 
made frantic attempts to drive the unruly ponies 
into the timber. Wild with panic, the frenzied 
beasts plunged, and reared, and kicked in their 
efforts to break through the circle of riders that 
surrounded them. At last the Cheyennes lashed 
251 


THREE SIOUX SCOUTS 

them into submission and drove them forward. 
They plunged down the bank, and floundered 
wildly across the stream. Then the Cheyennes 
raced them away into the north. 

“Hi, my brothers, some of us must go back 
there, and help our brothers, the Ogalalas,’^ said 
Red Dog, when they were several arrow flights 
from the stream. 

Then they heard the Dacotah war cry ringing 
through the night. Soon afterward White Otter 
and his gallant fighters overtook them. They 
were in high spirits. 

“WTiere are the Pawnees U’ inquired Red Dog. 

“They are running to their lodges,’’ laughed 
White Otter. 

“White Otter, you are a great chief,” declared 
Red Dog. The Ogalalas are as brave as Ma-to- 
ho-ta, the bear. We will go to your village, and 
tell your people what you have done. Yes, we 
will give some ponies to your chief. Wolf Robe.” 

“It is good,” replied White Otter. 

Then he called Sun Bird and Little Raven to 
ride beside him. It was a long time before he 
spoke. 

“My brothers, we have done what we set out 
to do,” he said, finally. “It was a great fight. 

252 


A HARD WON VICTORY 

Many brave warriors were killed. I will not talk 
about it. You were very brave. You have helped 
me to do a big thing. Sun Bird, I saw you drive 
back many Pawnees. Yes, you were always in 
the fight. Little Raven, I saw you fight off three 
Pawnees. Yes, I saw you do some big things. 
My brothers, I will tell your great chief Curly 
Horse about you. I will tell him that you did 
big things to help my people.’’ 

‘‘White Otter, your words make me feel good,” 
said Sun Bird. “You came to our lodges and 
went with us to fight the Blackfeet. Now we have 
helped you fight the Pawnees. It is good. We 
are Dacotahs. A Dacotah will fight for his 
brother. ’ ’ 

“It is true,” declared Little Raven. 

( 1 ) 


THE END 















